DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - USTR · DOMINICAN REPUBLIC August, 2010 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic...

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

August, 2010

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

NATIONAL ACTION PLAN

TO STRENGTHEN TRADE RELATED CAPACITIES: CONFRONTING THE CHALLENGES OF GLOBALIZATION (2010)

PROJECT PROFILES

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NATIONAL ACTION PLAN

TO STRENGTHEN TRADE RELATED CAPACITIES: CONFRONTING THE CHALLENGES OF GLOBALIZATION (2010)

PROJECT PROFILES

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Acronyms …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9

I. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………...

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II. The Trade Insertion of the Dominican Republic: Brief Summary ……………………….

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III. Main Institutions related to the NAP …………………………………………………………

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IV. Summary Matrix – NAP 2010 ………………………………………………………………….

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V. Project profiles ……………………………………………………………………………………

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A. Administration and implementation of Trade Agreements ………………………………

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1. Institutional and Operational Strengthening of DICOEX

B. Agriculture / Sanitary and Safety ……………………………………………………………

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1. Administration System for Quotas and Safeguard Measures

C. Systemic Competitiveness and Business Climate ………………………………………

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1. Study on the need to increase the hours for the release of goods in Dominican Republic’s ports

2. Creation of a Transportation Master Plan

3. Design and Implementation of the National Strategy for Logistic Services

4. Sensitization and Awareness Program to Promote an Integrated Single Window System of Foreign Trade in the Dominican Republic

GENERAL INDEX

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5. Capacity Building for the application of the Law on Corporate Restructuration and Bankruptcy

6. Design and Implementation of a System of Logistics Intelligence for Exports

7. Development of mechanisms and capacities for the Implementation of the Law of Competition

D. Government Procurement ……………………………………………………………………

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1. Study to verify the compliance of the government procurement legislation in force in the Dominican Republic with the commitments of the EPA Agreement

2. Single Procurement System

3. Planning of acquisitions in relationship to the budget process

4. Single Procurement Website

5. Program to promote public savings and transparency in government procurement

E. Exports ……………………………………………………………………………………………

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1. Exports program for fruits and vegetables to the markets of the partners in EPA

F. Trade Facilitation and Custom Procedures …………………………………………………

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1. Development and Implementation of a Risk System

2. Reorganization and adaptation of the administrative structure of the institution

3. Development of Quick Guides for the correct determination of the origin of goods

4. Development of Technical Capacities and the Improvement of the Institution’s Processes

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5. Development of a Laboratory Unit

6. Development and Implementation of a Statistics System

7. Definition of the instrument for administering the rules of origin of EPA

G. Innovation …………………………………………………………………………………………

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1. Institutional and operational strengthening of the Institution for the Innovation in Biotechnology and Industry (IIBI)

2. Automated Services System

3. Accreditation of Laboratory Tests on Residual Waters

4. Accreditation of Sample Taking of Water and Foods

5. Anatomic and Molecular Characterization of the Green Ebony

6. Determination of the Incidence of Black Sigatoka in Harvests of Organic Plantains

7. Improvement of the Advisory System on the Implementation of the Hazardous Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)

8. Research and Development (R+D) System for Dairy Products and its Derivates

9. Use of Solar Energy on IIBI Laboratories

10. Detection of transgenic in corn and soy based foods in the Dominican Republic

H. Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguard Measures ………………………………………….

89

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1. Improvement of the capacities and processes of the Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguards Measures Commission

2. Modification of Law 1-02 on Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguards Measures and its Implementing Regulation

3. Study on prospective products with possibility of a safeguard application in the European market

4. Dissemination of the mandate of the Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguards Measures Commission

I. Intellectual Property ………………………………………………………………………………

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1. Development of capacities and improvement of processes of the offices in charge of intellectual property in the country (National Office of Industrial Property (ONAPI) and National Office of Copyright (ONDA).

2. Assessment, analysis and dissemination of the commitments undertaken by the Dominican Republic in the intellectual property area, through international trade agreements

3. Information program on Intellectual Property Rights

4. Assessment of the implementation of Chapter XV of DR-CAFTA, among the counterpart offices of the Parties to the Agreement

5. Impact study to adequate the European model on the extension of the protection of industrial designs

6. International recognition and protection of geographical indications

J. SMES ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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1. Development of a strategy to promote the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) in SMEs

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2. Awareness of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES) regarding Intellectual Property Rights

K. Public Health

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1. Institutional and Operational Strengthening of the Ministry of Public Health

2. Strengthening of the Fishery Sector in Sanitary Issues

3. Improvement of the processes and management of the Vice-ministry of Quality Assurance of the Ministry of Public Health

L. Services (Telecommunications) ……………………………………………………………….

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1. Development of a cost model for the determination of the charges of end calls in fixed and mobile telephones in the Dominican Republic

2. Linkage of the Optical Cable of Numeric Fiber already in place between Guadalupe and Martinique with the Dominican Republic

3. Analysis of the harmonization of the functions of the telecommunications regulatory body and the specialized bodies of competition policy and consumer protection

4. Creation of multimedia content of commercial character

5. Consolidation of the Network “Red Avanzada Dominicana de Educación e Investigación (Dominican Advanced Network for Education and Research) (RADEI)”

M. Quality Systems ………………………………………………………………………………….

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1. Improvement of the infrastructure and management of the General Directorate of Norms and Quality Systems

2. Campaign to promote a quality culture in the country

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VI. Annexes

1. 2008 Matrix with Status

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AIRD Asociación de Industrias de la República Dominicana (Association

of Industries of the Dominican Republic)

FTAA Free Trade Area of the Americas

IDB Inter-american Development Bank

BCRD Banco Central de la República Dominicana (Central Bank of the

Dominican Republic)

CAMTIC Cámara Dominicana de Tecnologías de Información y Comunicación

(Dominican Chamber of Information and Communication

Technologies)

CARICOM Caribbean Community

CARIFORUM Forum of ACP countries of the Caribbean

CEI-RD Centro de Exportaciones e Inversiones de la República Dominicana

(Center of Exports and Investment of the Dominican Republic)

CEBIVE Centro de Biotecnología Vegetal (Center of Vegetable

Biotechnology) of IIBI

CNC Consejo Nacional de Competitividad (National Competitiveness

Council)

CNMSF Comité Nacional para la aplicación de Medidas Sanitarias y

Fitosanitarias (National Committe for the Application of Sanitary and

Phito-sanitary Measures)

CNNC Comisión Nacional de Negociaciones Comerciales (National

Commission for Trade Negotiations)

CNSIC Comisión Nacional para la Sociedad de la Información y el

Conocimiento (National Commission for the Information and

Knowledge Society)

CPDC Comisión de Prácticas Desleales al Comercio (Commission of Unfair

Trade Practices)

DIA Departamento de Inocuidad Agroalimentaria (Department of Agro-

food Safety) of the Ministry of Agriculture

DICOEX Dirección de Comercio Exterior y Administración de

Tratados Comerciales (Foreign Trade and Administration of Trade

Agreements Directorate)

DGA Dirección General de Aduanas (Customs General Directorate)

ACRONYMS

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DGCP Dirección General de Compras Públicas (Government Procurement

General Directorate)

DIGENOR Dirección General de Normas y Sistemas de Calidad (Standards and

Quality Systems General Directorate)

DIGESA Dirección General de Salud Ambiental (Environmental Health

General Directorate) of the Ministry of Public Health and Social

Assistance

DGLT Dirección General de Política y Legislación Tributaria (Tax Policy

and Legislation General Directorate) of the Ministry of Finances

DR-CAFTA Free Trade Agreement between the Dominican Republic, Central

America and the United States of America

END National Development Strategy 2010-2030 “A Transformation

Journey Towards a Better Country”, Ministry of Economy, Planning

and Development

US United States of America

EPA Economic Partnership Agreement

IIBI Instituto de Innovación en Biotecnología e Industria (Institution for

the Innovation in Biotechnology and Industry) (IIBI)

INDOTEL Instituto Dominicano de las Telecomunicaciones (Dominican

Institute of Telecommunications)

ISPRI Programa de Apoyo Institucional para la Integración Regional

(Program for the Institutional Support of Regional Integration)

SPS Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Standards

GMO Genetically Modified Organisms

WTO World Trade Organization

ONAPI Oficina Nacional de la Propiedad Industrial (National Office of

Industrial Property)

ONDA Oficina Nacional de Derecho de Autor (National Office of Copyrights)

OTCA Oficina de Tratados Comerciales Agrícolas de República

Dominicana (Office of Agricultural Trade Agreements)

NAP National Action Plan

PROINDUSTRIA Centro de Desarrollo y Competitividad Industrial (Center for Industry

Development and Competitiveness)

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PROMIPYMES Promoción y Apoyo a la Micro, Pequeña y Mediana Empresa

(Promotion and Support to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises)

SMES Small and Medium Enterprises

DR Dominican Republic

MA Ministerio de Agricultura (Ministry of Agriculture)

MITUR Ministerio de Turismo (Ministry of Tourism)

MESCyT Ministerio de Educación Superior, Ciencia y Tecnología (Ministry of

Higher Education, Science and Technology)

MEPyD Ministerio de Economía, Planificación y Desarrollo (Ministry of

Economy, Planning and Development)

MIC Ministerio de Industria y Comercio (Ministry of Industry and

Commerce)

MIREX Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

MARN Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Ministry of

Environment and Natural Resources)

MISP1 Ministerio de Salud Pública (Ministry of Public Health)

ICTs Information and Communication Technologies

FTA Free Trade Agreement

FTA DR-CARICOM Free Trade Agreement between the Dominican Republic and

CARICOM

EU European Union

1 It is important to note that Decree 56-10 changed the names of the Secretariats of State to Ministries, and the

Ministry of Public Health has not yet adopted its official acronym. For the purposes of this document we will use MISP as the acronym of this Ministry.

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This document titled National Action Plan for the Strengthening of Capacities Related to Trade: Confronting the Challenges of Globalization, from here on (NAP), is an initiative based in the negotiating process of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). During this negotiations the countries recognized the need to strengthen their trade capacities and to assign funds for this purpose. Within the framework of the FTAA Hemispheric Cooperation, and in order to channel the cooperation more effectively, States were required to develop National Strategies on which they collect, define and prioritize capacity building needs relating to: preparation for negotiations, implementation of the trade commitments, and adjustments to integration. Subsequently, during the negotiations of the Free Trade Agreement of the Dominican Republic, Central America and the United States, best known as DR-CAFTA, it was decided to follow the model started in the FTAA and the Committee of Trade Capacity Building was created to support the strengthening of trade capacities of member countries through technical assistance. The NAP was born in this context in 2007, and since then this tool has been updated biannually to review the progress of projects and for introducing new initiatives. This work is produced from these instruments, and although there are some changes in terms of format, it respects the essence of his predecessors. The main objective of this plan is to provide an overview of the technical assistance needs identified by the institutions related to trade. Also, it is a guide for both the donor community and the national institutions, for the provision and channeling of resources coming from technical cooperation and international financial cooperation in issues of strengthening of the trade capacity2. Through the plan, the various areas where international cooperation could play a significant role in complementing the national efforts and policies are presented. The initiatives included in this work are aimed mainly at the institutional strengthening and the compliance of commitments made in trade agreements signed by the Dominican Republic in recent years. In order to facilitate the reading and handling of the document, the projects have been organized by topic, eliminating the division between implementation projects and projects for advantageous usage presented in previous installments. As an introduction, the plan begins with a brief overview of the commercial insertion of the Dominican Republic in recent decades. It is followed by a directory of the institutions involved in its execution. The purpose of the directory is to provide the user with an idea of the functions performed by each institution and the role they play in the implementation, administration and advantageous usage of trade agreements. Then it presents a matrix summarizing the projects, the activities included to achieve them and the priority assigned by the institutions responsible of the execution. Taking into consideration

2 It is very important to note that this is not a national action plan for international cooperation in general, nor it covers

areas that, even if they contribute to improve the trade performance, are not directly related to a free trade agreement administered by DICOEX. Executive summary, NAP 2008.

I. INTRODUCTION

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the efforts of the government to carry out a comprehensive public policy3, the initiatives identified in this document has been linked to the objectives and / or activities outlined in the National Development Strategy (END). At the beginning of each item a footnote is added that refers to the objectives of the END to which it correspond. At the end of the document the profiles of the projects are included, where the objectives, purposes and activities included in each initiative are described in more detail. It is important to note that this plan is mainly the result of an intense work with the representatives of the institutions involved in the implementation, administration and advantageous usage of trade agreements. It is not intended to be a final document, on the contrary, its purpose is to serve as an initial guide to identify possible areas of cooperation, taking into account that these priorities may change as the national context evolves.

3 “Articulating the design and execution of public policies with the purpose of assuring the correct coherence and

complementarity between them”. Axis 1, Objective 1, activity 13. National Development Strategy 2010-2030: “A Transformation Journey towards a Better Country”, Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development.

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The Dominican Republic is a small developing economy. It has been one of the economies with greater growth in Latin America and the Caribbean in the last fifty years. It was the economy that, in average, had a greater growth of the entire region during the period of 1961-2002.

Currently, the country can be considered as an open economy, with diplomatic and commercial relations with an important amount of countries in the entire world and with important trade agreements in force, at the multilateral, regional and bilateral levels4. Notwithstanding, until the decade of the nineties the Dominican Republic was one of the most isolated countries in America, showing an almost complete abandon of foreign relations, concentrating its exports in a few agricultural products5, and where the governmental intervention was very strong in production, distribution and assignation of resources.

We present a brief summary of the most important aspects that marked this important transition.

Sugar: Since the beginning of the 20th Century, the main economic activity of the Dominican Republic was the sugar industry. During the 60s and 70s decades the greater part of the labor force of the country was concentrated in the agricultural sector, either in the sugar industry or in small properties of low productivity, while the industrial sector was relatively reduced in relation with the number of companies, the value of production and the amount of jobs.

During these years, the Dominican foreign policy was limited to the achievement of a better

position for sugar in the United States market and to manage the frontier conflicts with Haiti.

Industrialization by Import Substitution (ISI): In the late sixties, the drop of the prices of

almost all the agricultural products produced a deterioration in the current account balance of the balance of payments that started to become unsustainable and the Dominican State, as many others in Latin America, recurred to the adoption of the Industrialization by Import Substitution (ISI)6 scheme in order to promote the diversification, the promotion of nontraditional

productive sectors and industrialization.

In this context, in 1968 was promulgated Law 299 of Industrial Promotion and Incentives7. As the other economic laws that follow this law, it pretended to accomplish two objectives: on one side it tried to protect a part of the industrial sector whose production was oriented to the

4 Agreements of the World Trade Organization (WTO); FTA Dominican Republic – Central America – United States,

better known as DR-CAFTA; Economic Partnership Agreement CARIFORUM – European Commission (EPA-CARIFORUM-EU); FTA Dominican Republic - CARICOM; FTA Dominican Republic - Central America and the Partial Scope Agreement Dominican Republic – Panama. 5 Sugar, coffee, cocoa and tobacco.

6 The ISI scheme had its foundation in the ideas of Raul Prebisch (creator of CEPAL) and the Structuralism School,

which conceived the ISI as a development strategy for Latin America. The theoretical fundaments of the strategy were: a) Support to the new industries; b) unequal exchange terms; c) central-periphery scheme, and d) need of a big push. 7 According to the Government this law, promulgated on April 23, 1968, was aimed to “promote the quickest and most

effective way of industrial promotion in the economy of the country with the purpose of obtaining job sources and permanent incomes for our people”. Among many other provisions, this law limited foreign investment to free zones, or those areas where the lack of capital and/or technology limited national investment and allowed the tax free investment of 50% of the benefits to manufacturers already established.

II. THE DOMINICAN COMMERCIAL INSERTION: A BRIEF HISTORY

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national market and in the other offer incentives to a group on companies whose production was

aimed to the international market.

Other laws complemented this scheme, creating investment incentives and protecting important sectors such as tourism, agro-industry and nontraditional exports. Among this, it is worth mentioning Law 153 of Tourist Development (1971), Law 69 of Export Promotion (1979) and

Law 409 of Development of Agro-industrial Production (1982).

Unfortunately, during this period an export foundation was not developed, in the contrary, a protectionist and regulating trade policy was generated for exports and imports. As a consequence, notwithstanding the great incentives received by the local industry, the contribution of the sector to national production did not show significant changes during the

years these legal instruments were in force.

In the decade of the eighties the industrial activity and the agricultural production had been relegated to a second plane. The Dominican economy had transformed in a services economy. Finances, communications and tourism increased steadily their participation in the GDP, while

sectors such as mining and local industry were relegated.

Source: By author, based in data of the Central Bank of the Dom. Rep. (BCRD).

Free Zones and Tourism: In the second part of the decade of the eighties, free zones and

tourism were the leading sectors of Dominican exports. Their respective growth rates were higher than 18% during the decade. This strong expansion was the result of many factors, among which are: a) The tax incentives received by both sectors, specially the free zones8; b)

8 Free zones benefited various incentives mainly in customs and tax. These incentives reach 100% exemptions in:

tax on income or profits, building taxes, registration of mortgage, property transfers, taxes for incorporation of

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The devaluation of the currency, that reduced the salaries measured in dollars, increasing the competitiveness of the country in activities with high labor, and c) The trade preferences that the United Stated awarded to the countries of the Caribbean Basin among which was the

Dominican Republic9.

In 1980 exports from free zones accounted for just 8% of total exports of goods and services, equivalent to about US$117 million. Ten years later, exports from this sector had increased more than seven times, growing at an annual rate of 23.8% until it reached in 1990, 32% of total exports of goods and services10. A new production structure based on services had emerged.

As with the free zones, the tourism sector also benefited from a system of tax incentives, exchange rate liberalization and large investments in infrastructure made by the state, significantly increasing the relative profitability levels of such activity and making this sector the largest recipient of foreign direct investment.

It is important to note that despite the good performance of the economy during this decade and of the profound changes that the country's productive structure had experienced, foreign policy was still lagging. It wasn’t until 1989 that the isolation began to break. In that year, Dominican Republic became a signatory to the Lome Convention11. This marked a major shift in the country’s foreign policy, since from that time onward, it had to coordinate efforts and strengthen relations with the European Union and more than 70 African, Pacific and Caribbean countries. One of the most important aspects of this agreement was that it established the foundations for a closer relation with Haiti and CARICOM, with whom the country had the

responsibility of managing the cooperation12.

Reforms: At the beginning of the 90s decade, the phenomenon of globalization was already

impacting significantly the majority of the countries of the hemisphere and the Dominican Republic was not the exception. That decade was marked by a profound process of reforms aimed to achieve a greater commercial liberalization and to correct the so called “anti-export bias”13. Among the most important reforms of those years were the tax reform and the reform to

companies or for the increments of their capital, import taxes, municipal taxes , taxes and customs tariffs, export or re-export taxes, licenses, consular invoices, taxes on imported machinery and equipment, tax on the transfer of goods and services (ITBIS). 9 The central piece of the CBI was the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act – CBERA - that came into force on

January 1, 1984. It granted preferential trade treatment for most products exported to the US with the exception of some textiles and clothing products which were subject to other provisions. This measure was part of what became known as the Washington Consensus, a set of US initiatives to promote development and trade liberalization in Latin America. 10

Issa Contrera, Pavel: “The Dominican Republic insertion to the international economy: brief history and analytic perspective. CIECA and Intermon OXFAM. July 2007, pg. 55. Another fundamental element for the development of free zones was the adoption of the Multi-fiber Agreement, established in 1974 in Rome and prorogated in various occasions. 11

The process of negotiations that ended with the signing of this agreement allowed the country to join the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, which already had a cooperation relation with the European Union. Since then, the country has benefited from a special and privileged treatment for the entry of its exports in the European market. In fact, during the last twenty years almost all Dominican exports enter the market free of tariffs and quotas. 12

In fact, it is precisely in the context of this approach that CARIFORUM and the recent Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA CARIFORUM-EU) are born. 13

The anti-export bias was a criticism to the ISI scheme that promoted the imposition of very high duties. As a consequence, a product that cost 1 dollar in the world market had a duty of 100%, which made that the same product cost 2 dollars in the protective country. In view of this situation, businessmen clearly chose to sell in the national market given that if he exported he would have fewer incomes.

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the free zones regime (1990); the fiscal reform and the reform of the Labor Code (1992); the reform of the foreign investment regime in 1995; changes to the regulatory framework of telecommunications (1998) and the law of export promotion (1999). Also, the reform of the

monetary and financial system started at the end of this decade.

International Trade Negotiations: These changes at the internal level were accompanied by a

change in the external trade policy, concentrated mainly in an aggressive agenda of trade negotiations that started with the participation in the multilateral negotiations of the Uruguay Round in 1994, followed by an active participation in the negotiations of the Free Trade Area of

the Americas (FTAA).

Finally in 1997, the Government launched a new foreign trade policy that was known as the Strategic Alliance and that had as main objective to break the isolation and reorient the foreign policy of the country. The new strategy had some specific objectives, like negotiating with Central America and CARICOM, and established the foundations of an institutional structure for

support, the National Commission for Trade Negotiations14.

All these negotiating processes resulted in the signing of the Agreements of the World Trade Organization and of the Free Trade Agreements with Central American (2000) and the Caribbean (2001).

The reforms that started in the last decade took force again after year 2000, touching sectors as important as the stock market, intellectual property rights, tourism, protection against unfair

trade practices, social security system and health system.

Also, in the context of trade negotiations, the Dominican Republic continued its international integration process with its inclusion in the negotiating process that took place between the US and Central America. After a strong lobbying in Washington15, in August 2003 the United States government announced its decision that the country would be part of the negotiation of the free

trade agreement that became known as DR-CAFTA.

In May 2004, the Parties signed the agreement that, without doubt, marked the most significant trade liberalization in the history of the Dominican Republic. The agreement covered a wide range of topics, institutional and administration issues, trade in goods, trade in services and investment, government procurement of goods and services, intellectual property and some new topics such as labor and environmental issues. The agreement also opened the doors to a

market of 280 million inhabitants.

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The CNNC was created by Decree 74-97. This body brings together all government institutions related to foreign trade in a single negotiating body under the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX previously SEREX). It should be noted that attached to the CNNC was also created a mechanism for civil society participation in the negotiation process, the Advisory Committee of the Civil Society (SCCS). 15

Since 2002, when the US government proposed to sign a trade agreement with Central America, important sectors of the Dominican economy led by the free zones were given to the task of achieving that DR was included in the agreement because they considered that otherwise, those countries would enjoy higher levels of access to the North American market, which meant a threat to the country.

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The implementation process of this agreement implied, among other things, important modifications in some regulatory frameworks16, substantial changes in the processes and institutionalization of many governmental institutions, an intense outreach and promotion program17, and specially a great responsibility not only for the State, but also for the productive

sectors.

At the same time the country was occupied with the ratification and implementation of DR-CAFTA, it was participating in the negotiating process of the Economic Partnership Agreement between CARIFORUM18 and the European Union, which had started on April 14, 200419. The agreement, best known as EPA, made the Dominican Republic the third country of the hemisphere to sign an agreement with the United States and the European Community simultaneously.

As with DR-CAFTA, EPA includes regulations in market access of goods and services, trade facilitation and customs, technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures, safeguard measures, rules of origin, intellectual property, government procurement, environment, etc. In addition, this agreement includes in each chapter important provisions regarding cooperation and presents important challenges in the area of regional integration with

the countries of CARICOM.

The entry into force of these agreements among the others signed previously by the Dominican Republic has impacted areas such as: fiscal incomes, investments, prices, competitiveness, business climate, transparency, institutionalization and above all, the way in which we interact

with out trade partners.

Among the advantages that can be obtained from these agreements are:

Increase in trade and investment.

Increase of business opportunities.

Liberalization of imports of goods in the trade partner markets.

Improvement of market access.

Consolidation of the trade preferences obtained previously in the context of other non permanent agreements.

Reduction of consumer prices.

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With the purpose of adapting and harmonizing the national regulatory frameworks with the commitments obtained in the agreement, Law 424-06 for the Implementation of DR-CAFTA introduced important changes in laws, decrees and resolutions. There were modifications in the areas of agriculture, labor, environment, customs regimes, rules of origin, transparency, anticorruption, intellectual property, safeguards, telecommunications, government procurement and textiles, among others. 17

In this process were involved representatives of the public sector, entrepreneurial sector, professionals, communications and civil society in general. 18

CARIFORUM is the union of CARICOM and the DR, is a space of political dialogue created in October 1992 with the purpose of coordinating the financial aid from the European Union to the Caribbean countries members of the Lome Conventions. 19

The Lome Convention signed in 1989 had a period of ten years and was replaced in year 2000 by the Cotonou Agreement. This agreement maintained the non-reciprocal trade preferences enjoyed by the country, but raised the need to move towards a system of reciprocity that was compatible with WTO commitments. As consequence, the parties agreed to establish year 2007 as the deadline for the completion of the traditional scheme and agreed to replace the commercial part of the Cotonou Agreement with Economic Partnership Agreements, based on reciprocity.

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Simplification of procedures and greater levels of transparency in governmental operations.

Increase in productivity of the local companies because of the pressure of the competition.

Institutional strengthening.

Notwithstanding all of the above, these opportunities are not obtained automatically with the signing of the agreements. The trade liberalization agreements are not enough in itself. To benefit from the advantages and opportunities that they offer it is necessary to adopt public policy measures appropriate to the new scenarios that the agreements bring. These measures should be aimed to increase the trade volumes, increase investments, achieve an important promotion and diversification of exports that assures a steady growth at a long term, improve the business climate and the infrastructure and widen the competitiveness of the productive and

services sectors.

As we have seen through this brief summary, the advances of the Dominican Republic in trade policy issues in the last decades cannot be denied. Also, we must note the valuable opportunities and benefits that the economic integration and the trade agreements signed in this

period represent for the country.

However, it is equally important to recognize that the country still faces big challenges in order to obtain the benefits that the integration to free trade and the world economy represents, and above all to ensure that these benefits translate in better levels of life for Dominicans.

This document is in part the recognition of some aspects in which we still face important

challenges in issues of institutional strengthening, implementation, administration and

advantageous usage of trade agreements. Through the list of project the NAP presents,

can be obtained a general view of the need of technical assistance of the various

institutions related to trade, while serving as a guide for the assignation and channeling

of funds.

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ACRONYMS INSTITUTION ROLE

CEI-RD

Exportation and Investment Center of the Dominican Republic. • Autonomous institution managed by a council with the participation of public and

private sectors led by the Minister of Industry and Commerce. Responsible for the

promotion and development of Dominican exports and investment in order to

enhance the country's competitive insertion in international markets for goods and

services.

• Validates the certificates of origin and provides technical assistance on trade

agreements and trade and investment opportunities.

Advantageous usage

CNC

National Competitiveness Council. • Autonomous institution managed by a Council comprised of representatives from public and private sector led by the President of the Republic. Responsible for enhancing initiatives to improve sector productivity and the Dominican business environment. • Among its areas of action are: reforms for competitiveness, promotion of Industrial Property instruments, sustainable development, trade facilitation and logistics, innovation, technological development and cluster development. • Monitors the national competitive performance and conducts regional and international benchmarking.

Advantageous usage

CNMSF

National Commission for the Implementation of Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Measures

• Institution with the highest authority on sanitary and phyto-sanitary issues in the Dominican Republic. Composed of several agencies and chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture. • Participate in meetings of the WTO SPS Committee and manages the notifications in this regard.

Implementation and administration

Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguards Measures

Commission

Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguard Measures Commission. • Decentralized state entity with functional, judicial and financial autonomy. Composed of five members appointed by the Executive Power and ratified by the National Congress. Coordinates with other public sector institutions the representation of the interests of the Dominican State in international organizations and other countries in matters within its competence. • Responsible for determining the application of antidumping rights, countervailing duties and safeguards.

Implementation and administration

CNNC

National Commission of Trade Negotiations (CNNC) • Inter-ministerial body chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Responsible of coordinating Dominican trade policy, designing the overall negotiation strategy of the country and leading the process of trade negotiations. • Responsible for coordinating and leading the negotiations of trade agreements, as well as following up on the commitments regarding future negotiations.

Implementation, administration and advantageous usage

DICOEX

Foreign Trade and Administration of International Trade Agreements Directorate.

• Institution under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, responsible for the implementation of trade agreements signed by the Dominican State. • Responsible for leading the implementation and dissemination process of the agreements and of monitoring the compliance with their commitments. • Coordinate interagency interaction mechanisms for the compliance of commitments and activities of the committees formed under the different


III. MAIN INSTITUTIONS RELATED TO THE NAP

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agreements. • Serves as Information Center, Point of Contact and Coordination Office in Dispute Settlement issues. Provides administrative support to arbitral panels, supports the national productive sector and identifies priorities for cooperation.

DIGENOR

General Directorate of Norms and Quality Systems. • Entity responsible for administering industrial standards and verifying the quality of goods and services. Coordinates technical standardization committees and is responsible for adopting international standards and the harmonization process with regional and international regulations. • Part of the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade, the Committee on Trade in Goods and the Committee on Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Issues.

Implementation and advantageous usage

DGA

Customs General Directorate • Unit of the Ministry of Finance responsible of facilitating and controlling the entry and exit of goods in the country. Publishes the customs legislation and handles import and export statistics. • Responsible for complying with the provisions of trade facilitation, applying the procedures of enforcement of border measures for intellectual property rights and the rules and procedures of origin.


IBII

Institution for the Innovation in Biotechnology and Industry (IIBI) • Agency responsible for conducting scientific research, technology transfer and innovation and providing technical consulting in areas such as environment, renewable energy and biotechnology, in order to contribute with the improvement of the competitiveness level of the country. • Linked to the commitments of cooperation in the areas of its competence.

Advantageous usage

INDOTEL

Dominican Institute of Telecommunications • Agency responsible for regulating and overseeing the development of telecommunications in the country. Administers the rules and processes for the establishment of telephone companies, broadcasters, cable television and Internet services. The President of INDOTEL also chairs the National Commission for Information Society and Knowledge (CNSIC). • Responsible for complying with the commitments in telecommunications issues.

Implementation

ONAPI

National Office of Industrial Property • Autonomous entity led by a Council headed by the Minister of Industry and Commerce. Responsible for managing the industrial property law, register trademarks and patents. • Responsible for implementing commitments on trademarks, patents, innovation and intellectual property.

Implementation and Administration

ONDA

Office of Copyrights • Unit of the Ministry of Culture. It manages the copyright law and the registration of works, including software. It has ability to prosecute crimes regarding piracy. • Responsible for the compliance of commitments on Copyrights and Related Rights.


OTCA

Office of Agricultural Trade Agreements • Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture. Responsible of negotiating, implementing and managing the commitments under trade agreements on agriculture. Makes the SPS and TBT notifications and serves as the Contact Point and National Enquiry Service in SPS before the WTO CNMSF and other agreements signed by the country. It is part of the Committee on Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Issues and is a member of the Dispute Settlement Committee. • Responsible for complying with the commitments on tariff rate quotas and agricultural safeguards.


MA

Ministry of Agriculture • Entity responsible for formulating and leading the country's agricultural policy in line with the overall development plans. It comprises the Directorate General of Livestock (DIGEGA), Department of Agricultural and Food Safety (DIA), Plant

Implementation, administration and

22

Health and Planning. • Responsible for the compliance of commitments in agriculture and of exploring export opportunities and import substitution of agricultural products.

advantageous usage

Finance

Ministry of Finance • Entity responsible for leading the government's overall fiscal policy and its components: income, expenditure and finances. Entity to which the Customs General Directorate and the Internal Revenue General Directorate report to. • It is also responsible for government procurement through the Directorate of Procurement. • Responsible for the compliance of commitments on government procurement.


MIC

Ministry of Industry and Commerce • Government institution in charge of domestic and international trade. • DICOEX functions under its scope. The Ministry comprises the Industrial Property Office, the General Directorate of Standards, the Consumer Protection Institute, the National Commission on Unfair Trade Practices and the Committee on Competition.


MERN

Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources • Entity responsible for formulating and implementing policies for the conservation, protection and regulation of the natural resources and environmental management. • Responsible for compliance with environmental commitments.

Implementation, administration

MEPYD

Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development • Institution responsible for planning a harmonious growth of the country. • Governing Body of the National Planning and Public Investment System. • Establishes policies of international cooperation not refundable, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. • Participates in the development of foreign trade policy of the Dominican Republic and in the relevant trade negotiations.


MISP

Ministry of Public Health • Institution responsible for the public health policies of the State. • The Department of Drugs and Pharmacies and the Department of Health Registry functions under its scope. • Responsible for implementing the National Drug Policy.

Implementation and Administration

23

MATRIX - NAP SUMMARY- 2010

20

The projects contained in this section correspond to the Strategic Axis 3(5)1(3) of the National Development Strategy. * P: Indicates Priority

Subject Area / Intervention: ADMINISTRATION OF TRADE AGREEMENTS20

P*

No.

PROJECT

STRATEGIC GUIDELINE

COMPONENTS

ACTIVITIES

INSTITUTION

1

1.

Institutional and Operational Strengthening of DICOEX.

Institutional Strengthening

Technical Assistance

Adaptation of the legal framework of DICOEX to the new constitutional dispositions.

DICOEX

Design and implementation of a platform that allows the managing of the information between DICOEX and other institutions related to the implementation of trade agreements.

Redesign of the web page of the Institution to make it friendlier, include new information services and links with other institutions related to the implementation of agreements.

Design and implementation of a data base that allows the centralization of the information regarding proposals of new laws, provisions and technical regulations related to trade that modify the trade policy of the country that could affect the country’s trade partners.

Design and implementation of a data base to monitor the trade flows and follow up to the duty treatments applied to Dominican imports.

24

Design and implementation of a mechanism of inter-institutional relations.

DICOEX

Design and implementation of a mechanism

of relationship with the private sector.

Development of operation and consultation manuals for norms and policies regarding technical barriers to trade.

Development of a comparative matrix of the commitments of EPA and other agreements (especially DR-CAFTA).

Analysis of the fiscal impact of the different agreements by year, and possible mechanisms of income substitution.

Studies to identify specific market access problems in the country’s trade partners.

Training

Design of a permanent training plan for the institution’s staff according to the needs of each department.

Acquisition of Equipments

Identify and acquire bibliography to improve the institution’s library.

IP voice technological infrastructure to perform long distance calls on this platform.

Dissemination and Promotion

Perform public events to inform about the commitments, challenges and opportunities of the different trade agreements signed by the country.

Development of quick guides, brochures and other information materials to promote a better understanding of the commitments, challenges and opportunities offered by the different trade agreements signed by the country.

25

21

The projects contained in this section correspond to the Strategic Axis 3(5)2 of the National Development Strategy. 22

The projects contained in this section correspond to the Strategic Axis 3(3)1(1 y 2), Strategic Axis 3(3)5(1-6) and the Strategic Axis 3(3)6(1 y 2) of the National Development Strategy.

Subject Area / Intervention: AGRICULTURE / SANITARY AND SAFETY21

P

No.

PROJECT

STRATEGIC GUIDELINE

COMPONENTS

ACTIVITIES

INSTITUTION

1

1.

Administration System for Quotas and Safeguard Measures.

Implementation


Consultancy for the development and implementation of an administration system for quotas and safeguard measures.

OTCA, DGA,

DICOEX, PDC Commission

Training

Workshop on the management of the administration system for tariff rate quotas created.

OTCA, CEI-RD DICOEX

Agricultural organizations

Internships on offices that manage administration systems for quotas

OTCA, DGA,

DICOEX, PDC Commission


Development of procedure manuals on administration of tariff rate quotas and application of safeguards measures.

Subject Area / Intervention: SYSTEMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND BUSINESS CLIMATE22

P

No.

PROJECT

STRATEGIC GUIDELINE

COMPONENTS

ACTIVITIES

INSTITUTION

1

1.

Study on the Need to Increase the Hours for the Release of Goods in Dominican Republic’s Ports.

Business Climate / Trade Facilitation


Compilation of information on: flow of trade operations performed on ports, airports and borders / physical infrastructure, logistic and cost of operations.

CNC DGA AIRD

American Chamber of Study to establish the feasibility of increasing

26

the working hours (main advantages, disadvantages and cost of the project; administrative, juridical, logistic and infrastructure changes that must be performed.

Commerce

3

2.

Creation of a Transportation Master Plan.

Business Climate


Technical assistance to perform a wide and detailed study about the transportation sector in the DR.

CNC

Design of a Transportation Master Plan that

includes among other aspects: a flowchart of

the transportation infrastructure and of the

goods and services moved among them and

an action plan (construction and concessions

program in accordance with the supply and

demand projection, infrastructure reparation

program, and infrastructure development

plan, among others).


Development and implementation of an informative program of the Master Plan.

CNN

1

3.

Design and Implementation of the National Strategy of Logistic Services.



Technical assistance for the execution of the following studies: Compilation of information about the demand (behavior, legal framework, supply chain, geographical location and at the corridor level and customs regime, size, needs, components, actors, internal and external barriers, costs and over costs of the processes).

CNC

Analysis on the possible synergies between the offer and demand.

27

Analysis of the main competitors of DR in the area of logistics services to obtain the competitive profile of the country.

Study on the administrative and legal decisions that directly and indirectly affect the promotion of logistic capacities.

Identification and analysis of the main existing obstacles for the promotion of the logistic capacities in policies, legal and administrative provisions.

Analysis to determine barriers for the development of national and bi-nationals logistics services.

Identification of existing market niches in the area of logistics services, and the feasibility of creating a logistics cluster.

Subsequent diagnosis of the system.

Development and implementation of the National Strategy of Logistics Services (Design, chronogram, and implementation plan).

1

4.

Sensitization and Awareness Program to Promote an Integrated Single Window System of Foreign Trade in the Dominican Republic.

Business Climate


Hiring of experts to design, organize and execute the sensitization and awareness workshops. The Project should include the following activities: Compilation of information and relationship of public and private institutions in the import and export process.

CNC DGA AIRD

American Chamber of Commerce

Identification of the persons that should participate in the workshops.

28

Design, organization and execution of the workshops.

Drafting of the reports of the activities and findings and recommendations

2

5.

Capacity Building for the Application of the Law on Corporate Restructuration and Bankruptcy.



Development of the regulation for the application of the law.

CNC, Chambers of Commerce

Development of a procedure manual for the judiciary sector in order to facilitate the correct application of the regulation of the law.

Support for the creation of the Corporate Restructuration Center in the Chamber of Commerce and Production of Santo Domingo and Santiago.

Training

Training for the Chamber of Commerce on the procedures to be applied.

Training to the judiciary power officials on

conflict resolution according to the new law.

Judiciary School

Dissemination

and Promotion

Development of a strategy for disseminating the benefits of the law and the ease of the procedures, through promotion seminars and workshops aimed at the private sector, civil society and public sector.

CNC, Judiciary

Sector, Enterprises

2

6.

Design and Implementation of a System of Logistics Intelligence for Exports.



Technical assistance for the performance of the following studies: - Detailed diagnostic of the sector. - Analysis of the main factors influencing directly and indirectly in the determination of

CNC

29


sea, air and land freights. - Analysis to determine the comparative indicators of competitiveness of transportation and logistics in the region. - Study on international best practices for improving the competitiveness of transportation and logistics. Design of the Logistics Intelligence System for Exports that includes an operational budget and the determination of the entity that would assume the project.

CNC

Development and implementation of an outreach program of the intelligence logistics system. This component should include the following activities: - Design of a module that fits the information and dissemination system of the entity selected to have the strategic information system. - Development of workshops on critical validation of the tool.

1

7.

Development of Mechanisms and Capacities for the

Implementation

Design of the internal organizational structure of the authority and the relevant organizational and position manuals.

MIC Competition Commission

30

Implementation of the Law of Competition.


Development of the regulations for the application of the law; internal regulation for the functioning of the Authority; instructions and forms to perform the procedures; definition of professional profiles for the staff of the authority.

MIC, Competition Commission,

CNC Sector studies to identify companies in a

dominant position (in the country and in the Caribbean region) to ensure that they know the basic principles and dynamics of competition.

Establishment of guidelines for the economic and legal analysis and its systematization; guidelines for evaluating the confidentiality of the information supplied by businesses.

MIC, Competition Commission

Training

Training plan and training in competition policy aimed at: the staff of the Authority, the Judiciary Power, lawyers, private sector and consumers.

Competition Commission

Advanced training for members of the

Authority that includes legal analysis,

detection techniques, research and economic

and quantitative analysis.

Competition Commission,

Judiciary School,

Judiciary Power,

Lawyers, private sector,

consumers


Campaign for the promotion and dissemination of the law, as well as raising awareness to the issue of competition, aimed

Competition

Commission

31

23

The projects contained in this section correspond to the Strategic Axis 3(4)3(3) of the National Development Strategy.

at society in general.

Subject Area / Intervention: GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT23

P

No.

PROJECT

STRATEGIC GUIDELINE

COMPONENTS

ACTIVITIES

INSTITUTION

3

1.

Study to Verify the Compliance of the Government Procurement Legislation In Force in the Dominican Republic with the Commitments of the EPA Agreement.

Implementation


Technical assistance for the development of a comparative and harmonization study.

DGCP

Training

Workshop for the staff of the institution to present the results of the study.

2

2.

Single Procurement System.



Design and implementation of a Single System of Procurements.

DGCP

Training

Training program in government procurement for the technical staff of the General Directorate of Government Procurement.


Acquisition of informatics equipment that allows the creation of an electronic platform that registers all the procurements made by the institutions of the Dominican government


Dissemination and training program for the entities involved with the System of Government Procurement.

32

1

3.

Planning of Acquisitions in relationship to the Budget Process.



Design and implementation of a mechanism that allows the linkage between the planning of the government procurement with the expenses.

DGCP

Budget General Directorate

Training

Training program on the functioning and management of the mechanism created.


Training program for the Analysts of Procurement Planning of the different State entities.

1

4.

Single Procurement Website



Design, development and implementation of the Single Website of Procurement, through which users can make transactions such as: procurements, offers, transferences and requests.

DGCP

Training

Training to the technical staff of the DGCP on the functioning and management of the website.


Acquisition of a server for the Website’s platform.


Training workshops for all involved in the use and management of the website.

2

5.

Program to Promote Public Savings and Transparency in Government Procurement.



Study on policies and best practices aimed to promote public savings and transparency in government procurement.

DGCP

Training

Training program aimed to the staff of Procurement Planning of the different State entities to present the identified policies and best practices.

DGCP

Governmental Institutions in General

33

Subject Area / Intervention: EXPORTS

P

No.

PROJECT

STRATEGIC GUIDELINE

COMPONENTS

ACTIVITIES

INSTITUTION

1

1

Exports Program for Fruits and Vegetables to the Markets of the Partners in EPA.

Market Access


Technical assistance to establish the

necessary mechanisms in order that local

laboratories can apply the protocols for the

performance of phyto-sanitary analysis.

MA MISP

CNMSF CEI-RD

Define the protocols for sampling

methodology (making samples, storage of

counter samples, analysis, etc.).

to ensure compliance with current regulations

in countries of destination of exports.

Establish a methodology and protocols based

in Hazard Analysis Critical Control

Point (HACCP) , that includes traceability, for

the establishment of Good Agricultural

Practices (GAP), Good Manufacture

Practices (GMP), Good Sanitation Practices

(BPH), etc.

Technical assistance to establish a system

that guarantees the appropriate recollection

and management of agro-chemical

containers, that involves authorities, agro-

chemical merchants and farmers.

34

Technical assistance for the establishment of

a protocol that assures that no phyto-sanitary

certificates for export shall be issued, if they

are not previously homologated and subject

to periodic analysis of exports, or until all the

items to be exported are analyzed.

Define a mechanism through which producers responsible of sending products to the EU that are found with phyto-sanitary problems shall assume their responsibility for the damage caused to the exportation image of the country.

Training

Training to the productive sector on the

regulations and controls that applies to the

entire productive chain, including aspects

such as: hygiene, public health and plant

health.

Training program to the productive sector on

the regulations established by the European

Union for imports of fruits and vegetables.

35

24

The Project Number 1 in this section correspond with the Strategic Axis 4(2)1(5) of the National Development Strategy.

Subject Area / Intervention: TRADE FACILITATION AND CUSTOMS PROCEDURES24

P

No.

PROJECT

STRATEGIC GUIDELINE

COMPONENTS

ACTIVITIES

INSTITUTION

1

1.

Development and Implementation of a Risk System.



Technical professional assistance for the development and implementation of the risk management system.

DGA

Training

Courses, workshops and/or seminars program to train in risk analysis.


Acquisition of a software that allows the consolidation and expansion of the risk management system as a control method and for the application of the selectivity on the release.

3

2.

Reorganization and Adaptation of the Administrative Structure of the Institution.



Development of a training policy to guide and supply the education needs of the staff, in order to increase their capacities and improve their performance.

DGA Technical assistance to increase the use of technology in all processes and in all instances of the institution.

Technical assistance to guarantee the correct and fair charge of the fiscal revenues, through the exact determination of taxes and the permanent fight against illegal activities.

36

2

3.

Development of Quick Guides for the Correct Determination of the Origin of Goods.

Implementation


Compilation of information and subsequent design of quick guides for origin determination (knowledge of the actual production of DR-CAFTA and EPA countries, knowledge of regional practices).

DGA,

DICOEX, CEI-RD

Training

Workshops for the strengthening of capacities in origin verification issues.

DGA

1

4.

Development of Technical Capacities and the Improvement of the Institution’s Processes.



Technical assistance for the development of seminars and internships on customs issues.

DGA

Technical assistance to identify the necessities for the application of modern custom techniques, risk assessment, goods release, compliance with international norms and customs automation.

Technical assistance for the strengthening of taxes administration and the improvement of customs incomes revenues.

Training

Workshops, seminars, internships and courses on customs valuation in accordance to the WTO, Rules of Origin, International Agreements and Tariff Classification.

Regulatory Improvement

Follow up on the draft Customs Law, which includes the best international customs practices.

3

5.

Development of a Laboratory Unit.



Technical assistance for the development of the laboratory unit.

DGA

Technical assistance for the development of operation manuals for detecting illegal goods.

37

Training

Training program aimed to chemists and laboratory analysts on good functioning and analysis of materials.


Development of a document that details the advantages of implementing and developing a customs laboratory, as well as the exchange of information and techniques with countries that have implemented a laboratory unit.

1

6.

Development and Implementation of a Statistics System.



Technical assistance for the development of a data statistics platform of trade and customs.

DGA Training Training program in the management of

statistics and data analysis on international trade.


Development and dissemination of a document that details the advantages of the statistical platform and the benefits of a tool for taking decisions in monetary policy (in economic and trade issues), as well as market analysis.

1

7.

Definition of the Instrument for Administering the Rules of Origin of EPA.

Implementation


Identification of a technological instrument that permits an efficient management of the rules of origin of EPA.

DGA, DGLT

Development of a data base that contains the rules of origin of EPA and that is available for Customs and the public in general.

Training

Training on the functioning and management of the data base of EPA.


Acquisition of hardware and software for the management of the rules of origin of EPA.

38

25



Development of quick guides to be distributed in electronic and physical formats where the rules of origin of EPA are explained, the products to which they apply and the functioning of the selected technological instrument.

Perform activities that promote the harmonization of customs procedures and requirements in the region.

Subject Area / Intervention: INNOVATION25

P

No.

PROJECT

STRATEGIC GUIDELINE

COMPONENTS

ACTIVITIES

INSTITUTION

1

1.

Institutional and Operational Strengthening of the Institution for the Innovation in Biotechnology and Industry (IIBI).



Design and implementation of an Automatic Statistics System to improve and group all the information generated in the different technical areas of the IIBI.

IIBI

Design and implementation of a mechanism

that allow the Automation of the Nutritional

Labeling to improve of the quality of the

services given to the users.

Study that allows the optimization (capacity

of investigation, development and offer of

services and of best international practices)

of the Useful Life Services for the food

products of the agro-industrial sector.

39

Training

Design on a training plan and permanent

training for the staff of the institution

according to the necessities of each

department.

IIBI Public and

Private Sector

IIBI

Training courses in the management of statistics and data compilation.

Training programs for the use and management of the different equipments purchased (measurement of combustion gases, software for automation of nutrition labeling).

Training program for professionals and public officials that want up to date knowledge in the Food Agro-industry areas and Community Association programs.

Dissemination

and Promotion

Design of a promotional campaign (videos, brochures and other information materials) to inform about the services offered by the institution.

Performance of public events that allow the dissemination of the services offered by the institution.

Acquisition of

Equipments

Equipment for the measurement of

combustion gases and particles that allow

IIBI to promote a better compliance of the

environmental norms.

Acquisition of a software for the automation

of the nutrition labels process.

40

Acquisition of incubators with temperature

registry for the Useful Life laboratory.

Acquisition and installation of modern

equipment of heat penetration that allow

improving this service.

2

2.

Automated Services System


Technical

Assistance

Technical assistance for the creation of the software to be developed.

IIBI

Training

Socializing course to explain the results of the project and its benefits for technicians and users.


Acquisition of a software that allows the

consolidation of the objective, as well as the

computers for the client services areas and

the laboratories, also the necessary

accessories and cables.

2

3.

Accreditation of Laboratory Tests

on Residual Waters.


Technical

Assistance

Technical assistance by an international

specialist of the area of residual water and

accreditation.

IIBI

Training

Training courses and visits to accredited

laboratories in the field of residual waters.

41


Acquisition of equipments that allow the

increment of the installed capacity, in order to

receive a greater quantity of samples.

1

4.

Accreditation of Sample Taking of Water and Foods.



Technical assistance by a professional with

experience and knowledgeable in the field of

sample taking for physical, chemical and

microbiological analysis of water in

accordance with the guidelines of norm

ISO/IEC/17025:2005.

IIBI

Technical assistance by a professional with

experience and knowledgeable in the field of

sample taking for physical, chemical and

microbiological analysis of food in

accordance with the guidelines of norm

ISO/IEC/17025:2005.

Training

Internship for two technicians in laboratories

accredited under norm ISO/IEC/17025:2005.

2

5.

Anatomic and Molecular Characterization of the Green Ebony.

Market Access Technical Assistance

Technical assistance of researchers with

experience in In-Vitro plan multiplication.

IIBI Technical assistance of an expert in

molecular vegetable research.

Training Socialization course with technicians of the

Ebano Verde Foundation in order to discuss

the main problems of reproduction in green

houses.

IIBI Ebano Verde Foundation

Course for the strengthening of the specific technical capacities of the germination problem.

42

1

6. Determination of the Incidence of Black Sigatoka in Harvests of Organic Plantains.

Food Safety


Consultancy by a field expert with training and experience in the handling of the Black Sigatoka.

Training

Courses for technicians of various public and

private institutions on the symptoms,

characteristics and incidence of the Black

Sigatoka in organic bananas.


Acquisition of PCR equipment for molecular diagnostic of the illness.

Materials for harvesting and inputs that allow the in vitro production of plantains of the Fhia-21 variety, resistant to the Black Sigatoka.

2

7.

Improvement of the Advisory

System on the Implementation of

the Hazardous Analysis and

Critical Control Points (HACCP).

Institutional

Strengthening

Technical

Assistance

Consultants in implementation of HACCP in

dairies, fishes, meats, canned foods, fruits

and vegetables.

IIBI Industrial

Biotechnology

Training

Workshop on the application of HACCP.

3

8.

Research and Development (R+D) System for Dairy Products and its Derivates.



Consultancy by a specialist in the field of dairies and its derivates.

IIBI

Training

Course on Processing and Formulation of dairy products aimed to our customers.

IIBI Private Sector

Acquisition of

Equipments

Acquisition of the necessary equipment and

accessories to provide a quality service to

the dairy products sector.

IIBI

3

9.

Use of Solar Energy on IIBI Laboratories.


Technical

Assistance

Consultancy by an expert in the field of solar energy.

IIBI

43

Training

Course of awareness on the importance of the project, its objectives and benefits for IIBI and the country.

Workshop aimed to the technical staff of IIBI

in the operation and maintenance of solar

systems.

Acquisition of

Equipments

Acquisition of photovoltaic panels, inverters,

solar batteries and accessories to provide

emergency solar energy to laboratories.

Acquisition of solar collectors, pumps, tanks, pipes and fittings for the supply of hot water with solar energy.

Acquisition of supplies (wood, flexi-glass, fans and photovoltaic solar panels) to build a pilot model for a hybrid solar dryer.

2

10.

Detection of transgenic in corn and soy based foods in the Dominican Republic.

Food Safety

Technical

Assistance

Technical assistance for the implementation of detection and quantification protocols of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and its subsequent accreditation under ISO/IEC 17025:2005.

IIBI (CEVIBE)

Training

Training to IIBI’s staff in detection and quantification of transgenic events.

Acquisition of

Equipments

Acquisition of basic equipment for the strengthening of GMO detection laboratory.

44

Subject Area / Intervention: UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES AND SAFEGUARD MEASURES

P

No.

PROJECT

STRATEGIC GUIDELINE

COMPONENTS

ACTIVITIES

INSTITUTION

1

1.

Improvement of the capacities and processes of the Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguards Measures Commission.



Development of the operational manuals of the Commission.

PDC

Commission

Training

Training to the technical staff in WTO’s norms regarding safeguards, dumping, and subsidies.

Internship in a counterpart institution where the selected staff can acquire new knowledge, based on a comparative experience.

On-site advice to the Department of Research of the Commission, in areas identified as priorities.

3

2.

Modification of Law 1-02 on Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguards Measures and its Implementing Regulation.



Expert advice to review the Law 1-02 and its Implementing Regulation and identify those provisions that need to be amended.

PDC Commission

Training

Training aimed to the public and private sectors on the modifications of Law 1-02 and its implementing regulation.


Develop a document detailing the provisions of the Law 1-02 and its Implementing Regulation.

Holding a series of meetings with business associations, lawyers, representatives of the productive sectors and public officials of specialized areas, in order to promote the knowledge and use of the provisions of Law 1-02 and its Implementing Regulation.

PDC Commission

45

26


2

3.

Study on prospective products with possibility of a safeguard application in the European market.

Implementation


Consultancy for preparing the study.

PDC Commission

Training

Meeting with the national productive sectors to determine the importance and scope of the study.


Activity to present the results of the study.

1

4.

Dissemination of the mandate of the Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguards Measures Commission.



Hiring of international experts, who will participate as speakers.

PDC

Commission

Training

Identification of interested sectors to coordinate the holding of informative seminars and workshops, at the provincial level.

Subject Area / Intervention: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 26

P

No.

PROJECT

STRATEGIC GUIDELINE

COMPONENTS

ACTIVITIES

INSTITUTION

1

1.

Development of capacities and improvement of processes of the offices in charge of intellectual property in the



Development of a manual of best practices on management of technologic information regarding patents and technology transfer.

ONAPI

46

country (ONAPI and ONDA). Preparation of a study for the institutional strengthening of the ONDA, based on international best practices. Implementing a quality management system that includes the organizational structure, job profiles, procedures, processes and resources.

ONDA

Development of a fully digital filing system.

Improvement of the website of the ONDA, for the transparent and digital management of information, inquiries and complaints.

Development and implementation of a preventive system of border control to allow the DGA to prohibit, anticipate and control the entry into national territory of goods (players) used to infringe the Copyright Law.

ONDA, DGA

Training

Training program for the staff in the Department of Distinctive Signs on examination of sound and scent marks.

ONAPI

Training program for staff of the Office of Inventions on the examination and evaluation of patents in the field of biotechnology.

Training program in management of technologic information and technology transference.

Internships for ONAPI officials in the area of dispute settlement in the World Trade Organization (WTO).

47

Training program on the development of plant and animal patents in cases of biotechnological advances.

ONAPI,

IIBI

Education and training program for handling claims relating to intellectual property.

ONAPI, ONDA,

DICOEX

Training program for ONDA staff according to the needs and recommendations arising from the studies of institutional strengthening.

ONDA


Development of guidelines for the examination of sound and scent marks.

ONAPI

Development of guidelines for the evaluation and examination of patents in the field of biotechnologies.

Development of a norm, regulation or procedure that allows for more effective prosecution of crimes regarding broadcast signals.

ONDA,

INDOTEL

2

2.

Assessment, analysis and dissemination of the commitments undertaken by the Dominican Republic in the intellectual property area, through international trade agreements.

Implementation


Preparation of studies on the conformity of national legislation on Intellectual Property and the various international treaties to which the country must adhere to, as part of the commitments under DR-CAFTA and EPA.

ONAPI, ONDA

Preparation of a study detailing the advantages and the ways in which users of the industrial property system can benefit from the provisions of the trade agreements signed by the country.

ONAPI

48

Review of the national regulatory framework in comparison with the provisions in EPA regarding genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore.

ONAPI

Training

Workshops for the staff of ONDA and ONAPI to present the results of studies on the conformity of national laws on IP issues and the provisions of international treaties to which DR should adhere as part of the commitments made under DR-CAFTA and EPA.

ONAPI, ONDA

Training program to present and disseminate the country's commitments on intellectual property, and the benefits and ways to take advantage of trade agreements.

Establishment of a Regional Forum between CARIFORUM countries to share best practices and promote regional initiatives in the field of patents, registrations and intellectual property in general.

ONDA, ONAPI, DICOEX

1

3.

Information program on Intellectual Property Rights.


Training

Training workshops on the implementation of the protection of industrial designs in the textile sector.

ONAPI

Training to the officials of the Judiciary Power on enforcement of intellectual property rights and conflict resolution.

ONAPI, ONDA,

Judiciary School

Training for SMEs in implementing mechanisms to protect industrial property.

ONAPI, ONDA, CNC, SMES, CEI-RD,

49

Incubators Network


Development and dissemination of didactic manuals that detail the Intellectual/ Industrial Property Rights and the benefits of protecting such rights.

ONAPI Development and dissemination of a guide that details the advantages and rights of industrial property protection in enforcement issues.

Development and dissemination of a document detailing the importance and listing the advantages of protecting industrial designs in the textile sector.

3

4.

Assessment of the implementation of Chapter XV of DR-CAFTA, among the counterpart offices of the Parties to the Agreement.

Implementation


Preparation of a Regional Forum to assess the implementation process of DR-CAFTA on Industrial Property issues in the countries that are Parties, and the subsequent preparation of a study of the best practices in the region.

ONAPI

3

5.

Impact study to adequate the European model on the extension of the protection of industrial designs.

Implementation


Development of an impact study.

ONAPI

2

6.

International recognition and protection of geographical indications.

Market Access


Development of a study on the international recognition and protection of geographical indications.

ONAPI

Development of a study on the creation of origin denominations or geographical indications of domestic products with export potential.

50

27

The projects contained in this section correspond to the Strategic Axis 2(4)3(4), Strategic Axis 3(4)3(1-5) and Strategic Axis 3(5)4(4 and 11) of the National

Development Strategy.

Subject Area / Intervention: SMEs27

P

No.

PROJECT

STRATEGIC GUIDELINE

COMPONENTS

ACTIVITIES

INSTITUTION

1

1.

Development of a strategy to promote the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) in SMEs.

Business Climate


Development of a diagnosis of the capacities and needs of the SME sector in relation to access and use of ICTs.

INDOTEL CAMTIC SMES

Design of a strategy that allows the promotion of the access and use of ICTs in SMEs. This strategy should include the following aspects: - Creation of tax incentives for the use of ICTs. - Propose a mechanism to ensure a percentage of government procurements for SMEs. - Promote financing mechanisms for the use (purchase and upgrade) of ICT for SMEs. - Identify mechanisms to reduce the cost of entry for the use of ICT in enterprises. - Encourage government-level negotiations with key suppliers to achieve preferential conditions. - Promote local business clusters to provide solutions and services to the SME sector. - Education and training in the use and advantageous usage of ICTs - Develop the use of electronic commerce in SMEs

INDOTEL CAMTIC SMES

DGCP

FINANCE

Workshops for SMEs to raise awareness of INDOTEL

51

28


Training the strategy designed and involve them in implementing it.

CAMTIC SMES


Development of a promotional campaign to present the strategy.

CAMTIC

2

2.

Awareness of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES) regarding Intellectual Property Rights.

Business Climate Technical Assistance

Development of a diagnostic of the capacities and needs of the SMEs sector in relation to Industrial Property rights.

ONAPI

CNC, SMES, CEI-RD,

Incubators Network

Design of a strategy that allows the promotion of the use of Intellectual Property Rights in SMEs.

Training

Training and education in the use and advantageous usage of intellectual property rights.

Subject Area / Intervention: PUBLIC HEALTH28

P

No.

PROJECT

STRATEGIC GUIDELINE

COMPONENTS

ACTIVITIES

INSTITUTION

1

1.

Institutional and Operational Strengthening of the Ministry of Public Health.



Development of studies in the areas of:

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points

(HACCP), Good Manufacturing Practices

(GMP) and Sanitation Standard Operating

Procedures (SOP or SSOP).

MISP Acquisition of

Equipments Purchase of computers, digital thermometers and audio visual equipment.

52


Design and implementation of a training program to disseminate and promote best practices in the following areas: sell on public roads, healthy markets, municipal slaughterhouses, health tourism, dairy products, ports, airports and border crossings, hospitality kitchens, school breakfast (reception, storage and handling in delivery) and economic restaurants.

Development of manuals, magazines and

quick guides on the different issues handled

by the institution.

2

2.

Strengthening of the Fishery Sector in Sanitary Issues.

Implementation


Study of the regulatory framework applicable

to the fisheries sector to ensure its

compatibility with international standards and

commitments in trade agreements signed by

the State.

MISP

Study on the international best practices in

storage, transportation, fishermen health and

the infrastructure of boats.

Study on the needs in testing laboratories and recommendations aligned with international best practices.

Training program in the handling of fish and seafood for the staff that handle these products.

MISP, Fishery Sector , CODOPESCA

53

Training

Training to the fishing sector on the regulations and controls applicable throughout the entire production chain, covering all aspects of hygiene, public health and animal health.

Training on the regulations established by the European Union for imports of fishery products.

Training in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) addressed to the tourism and hospitality sector.

MISP, Tourism and

Hotel Sector

1

3.

Improvement of the processes and management of the Vice-ministry of Quality Assurance of the Ministry of Public Health



Structuring the procedures for sale and distribution of medicines in RD.

MISP

Establish the processes and formalities to protect the data of pharmaceutical products and ensure the safety of the undisclosed information and test data.

MISP, ONAPI

Training

Missions to learn best practices and experiences in regulatory "model" agencies.

MISP


Prepare sector-specific regulations in sectors such as dairy, poultry, meat, among others.

MISP, Productive

Sectors

Prepare regulations for the export of pharmaceuticals products of free zones.

MISP Pharmaceutical and Free Zone Sectors, DGA,

CEI-RD

54

29

The projects contained in this section correspond to the Strategic Axis 1(1)1(16), Strategic Axis 3(3)2(6), Strategic Axis 3(3)3(4) and the Strategic Axis 3(3)4(1 to

3) of the National Development Strategy.

Development of mandatory standards for exportation and importation, marketing and management of raw materials for drugs.

MISP, DGA, CEI-RD,

PROINDUSTRIA

Subject Area / Intervention: SERVICES (TELECOMMUNICATIONS)29

P

No.

PROJECT

STRATEGIC GUIDELINE

COMPONENTS

ACTIVITIES

INSTITUTION

1

1.

Development of a cost model for the determination of the charges of end calls in fixed and mobile telephones in the Dominican Republic.



Design and implement a model to determine

interconnection costs.

INDOTEL

Study to determine the costs of fixed and mobile interconnection.

Training

Training for employees of INDOTEL in the operation and use of the tool designed.


Acquisition of a software that allows the

determination of the costs of fixed and mobile

interconnection.

2

2.

Linkage of the Optical Cable of Numeric Fiber already in place between Guadalupe and Martinique with the Dominican Republic.

Implementation


Prepare a study that shows the technical and financial feasibility of expanding the submarine cable to the Dominican Republic.

INDOTEL

Extend the study to assess the possibility that the submarine cable reaches Haiti.

55

1

3.

Analysis of the harmonization of the functions of the telecommunications regulatory body and the specialized bodies of competition policy and consumer protection .



Develop a study to define the powers and functions of the telecommunications regulatory body, the body of competition policy, and the consumer protection body, under the legal framework of each of these institutions.

INDOTEL Pro-consumidor

Competition Commission

Propose a scheme to indicate the best form of interaction and harmonization of the work between these institutions in accordance with international best practices.

3

4.

Creation of multimedia content of commercial character.

Business Climate


Conduct an analysis of the domestic industry of multimedia content creation.

INDOTEL Assessment of the existing academic programs in multimedia content and make recommendations.

Design a strategy to develop the multimedia content industry.

2

5.

Consolidation of the Network “Red Avanzada Dominicana de Educación e Investigación” (Dominican Advanced Network for Education and Research) (RADEI).

Business Climate Technical Assistance

Diagnose the current state of the connection and use of intra and inter university networks in the Dominican universities.

INDOTEL, Universities

Develop an action plan to deploy efficiently

and effectively the connection between

universities and the use of advanced

networks.

INDOTEL

Training

Training program on the operation and management of the network to officials of the related institutions.

INDOTEL, Universities

56

30

The projects contained in this section correspond to the Strategic Axis 1(1)1(15), Strategic Axis 3(5)1(4) and Strategic Axis 3(5)3(5) of the National Development

Strategy.

Subject Area / Intervention: QUALITY SYSTEMS30

P

No.

PROJECT

STRATEGIC GUIDELINE

COMPONENTS

ACTIVITIES

INSTITUTION

1

1.

Improvement of the infrastructure and management of the General Directorate of Norms and Quality Systems.



Design and implementation of a strategic plan and a standardization infrastructure.

DIGENOR

Development and implementation of the

National Metrology System.

Creation and establishment of an official certification institution.

Evaluation of national quality standards to ensure they are aligned either by harmonization, adaptation or adoption to the international standards in force.

Training

Training program for staff of the institution that includes: technical standards, metrology and certification.

Internships at peer institutions in areas of technical standards, metrology and certification.

Acquisition of a software that enables the storage of existing standards and their agile handling.

57


Acquisition of laptops and/or computers, printers, fax and scanner for use by the technical staff responsible of the technical committees of standardization, technical coordination and efficient management of certification.

DIGENOR

Acquisition of national measurement standards.

Acquisition of the metrological equipment and materials needed to supply and adapt laboratories, and for speeding and ensuring efficiency in the measurements.

Acquisition of vehicles that facilitate the mobilization of technicians to meet the various requests of the interested parties.


Development and dissemination of programs of national certification and accreditation.

DIGENOR

1

2.

Campaign to promote a quality culture in the country.

Business Climate


Development of a strategy to promote a quality culture in the country.

DIGENOR,

CEI-RD, CNC, IIBI

Training

Courses, workshops and national forums

program on quality.

Development of a training program for SMEs

to encourage the adoption of quality

measures.

DIGENOR, CEI-RD, SMES


Develop and disseminate a quality national

awareness program.

DIGENOR, CEI-RD,

CNC, IIBI

58

PROJECT PROFILES

NAP 2010

59

Subject Area / Intervention: ADMINISTRATION OF TRADE AGREEMENTS

1. Project Description (1)

a. Project Title: Institutional and Operational Strengthening of the Foreign Trade and Administration of

Trade Agreements Directorate (DICOEX).

b. Strategic Guideline: Institutional Strengthening

c. Contact: Yahaira Sosa, Director of DICOEX and/or Alberto Durán, Coordinator for International

Cooperation, Telephone 1 (809) 567-7162. Ext.1019, E-mail: [email protected].

d. Executing Unit: Foreign Trade Directorate (DICOEX) of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: To improve the technical and management capacity of DICOEX in order to accomplish a

correct implementation and administration of the trade agreements signed by the Dominican government, through capacity building, harmonization of procedures and the improvement of the communication channels with other institutions and the private sector.

2.2 Purpose: To accomplish a correct implementation and administration of the trade agreements in order to contribute with the effective compliance of the purposes of these agreements.

3. Activities by component Technical Assistance

1. Adaptation of the legal framework of DICOEX to the new constitutional provisions. 2. Design and implementation of a platform that allows the managing of the information between DICOEX and other institutions related to the implementation of trade agreements. 3. Redesign of the web page of the Institution to make it friendlier, include new information services and links with other institutions related to the implementation of agreements. 4. Design and implementation of a data base that allows the centralization of the information regarding proposals of new laws, provisions and technical regulations related to trade that modify the trade policy of the country that could affect the country’s trade partners, clearly specifying the name of the measure and including at least the date it was approved or of its entry into force. 5. Design and implementation of a data base to monitor the trade flows and follow up to the duty treatments applied to Dominican imports. 6. Design and implementation of a mechanism of inter-institutional relations. 7. Design and implementation of a mechanism of relationship with the private sector.

60

8. Development of operation and consultation manuals for norms and policies regarding technical barriers to trade. 9. Development of a comparative matrix of the commitments of EPA and other agreements (especially DR-CAFTA). 10. Analysis of the fiscal impact of the different agreements by year, and possible mechanisms of income substitution. 11. Studies to identify specific market access problems in the country’s trade partners. Training

1. Design of a permanent training plan for the institution’s staff according to the needs of each department. Acquisition of Equipments

1. Identify and acquire bibliography to improve the institution’s library.

2. IP voice technological infrastructure to perform long distance calls on this platform.


1. Perform public events to inform about the commitments, challenges and opportunities of the different trade agreements signed by the country. 2. Development of quick guides, brochures and other information materials to promote a better understanding of the commitments, challenges and opportunities offered by the different trade agreements signed by the country.

Subject Area / Intervention: AGRICULTURE / SANITARY AND SAFETY

1. Project Description: (1)

a. Project Title: Administration System for Quotas and Safeguard Measures.

b. Strategic Guideline: Implementation

c. Contact: Ruth Montes de Oca, Director of the Office of Agricultural Trade Agreements – OTCA, Ministry

of Agriculture, Telephone: 1 (809) 547-1575, (809) 227-6188, E-mail: www.agricultura.gov.do and [email protected]

d. Executing Unit: OTCA, DGA, DICOEX, PDC Commission

2. Objective and Purpose:

2.1 Objective: To have a system that allows the automated, speedy and transparent assignation of tariff rate quotas and management of safeguards measures.

61

2.2 Purpose: To accomplish a correct and efficient administration of tariff rate quotas and application of safeguard measures.

3. Activities by component:


1. Consultancy for the development and implementation of an administration system for quotas and safeguard measures.

Training

1. Workshop on the management of the administration system for tariff rate quotas created.

2. Internships on offices that manage administration systems for quotas.

Dissemination and Promotion 1. Development of procedure manuals on administration of tariff rate quotas and application of safeguards measures.

Subject Area / Intervention: SYSTEMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND BUSINESS CLIMATE


a. Project Title: Study on the need to increase the hours for the release of goods in Dominican Republic’s

ports.

b. Strategic Guideline: Business Climate / Trade Facilitation

c. Contact: María de Lourdes Núñez, Trade Facilitation and Trade Logistics Advisor of the National Competitiveness Council, Telephone: 1 (809) 476-7262; E-mail: [email protected]

d. Executing Unit: National Competitiveness Council – General Directorate of Customs – Association of

Industries of the Dominican Republic – American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic. 2. Objective and Purpose:

2.1 Objectives:

a). Enhance and improve the efficiency and the performance of frontier points (airports, ports and borders), and of the public and private entities that provide their services in these facilities (customs, agriculture, DNCD, releases, etc.)

b). Reduce in a significant way, the transactional costs of enterprises in the logistic chain and suppliers of international trade as a national competitiveness advantage.

2.2 Purpose: Establish the feasibility that the public and private entities that intervene in foreign trade

62

operations in ports, airports and borders of the country are done 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, and the design of the strategy required for its implementation.

3. Activities by component: Technical Assistance

1. Compilation of information on: flow of trade operations performed on ports, airports and borders, trade flow, hours and project by institution, level of operations required by schedules, number of staff, time required by operation, inter-institutional coordination system, physical infrastructure, logistic and cost of operations. 2. Study to establish the feasibility of increasing the working hours, after analyzing the information gathered and considering the main advantages, disadvantages and cost of the project; administrative, juridical, logistic and infrastructure changes that must be performed.



a. Project Title: Creation of a Transportation Master Plan.

b. Strategic Guideline: Business Climate

c. Contact: Trade Facilitation and Trade Logistics Advisor of the National Competitiveness Council.

d. Executing Unit: National Competitiveness Council


2.1 Objectives:

a). To know the main costs, shipment flows and existing infrastructure in DR and the feasibility regarding shipment transportation flows. b). To create a tool that can be used for the decision making process of the public and private sectors in the area of transportation infrastructure. c). To determine the main problems in the area of investments and business climate in the field of transportation infrastructure. d). To identify initiatives regarding transportation infrastructure that are a priority for the country. 2.2 Purpose: To improve the structure of strategic planning of the government and companies, as well as the decision making process for construction, concession of infrastructures and planning of main transportation routes according to the market needs.

63


1. Technical assistance to perform a wide and detailed study about the transportation sector in the DR. The study must include the following aspects: • Diagnostic study on the characterization of the road network: The basic general identification of the road network considered in the study will be made in terms of length, horizontal and vertical geometry and number of lanes. • Condition of the port and airport infrastructure and its flows, proximity to production facilities, waiting times, concession system, benchmarking, and connectivity with other modes of transport. • Characterization of traffic conditions, simultaneously with origin and destination surveys to drivers, traffic counts to determine the volumes of vehicles classified, service levels, capacity and operating conditions of the main roads considered. • The socio economic conditions and industrial and productive activities in the Dominican Republic. • Inventory of existing initiatives and laws regarding transportation in the Dominican Republic and major competitor countries. • Analysis of the environmental impact of transport infrastructure for the country as well as the means of transport that use it. • Analysis and preliminary diagnosis of the following aspects: existing demand, through a matrix of origin-destination, travel index, freight corridors (air, sea and land), operating conditions, vehicle, airlines and ships characteristics, general characteristics of the operators (companies, sole proprietorships), types of services offered (normal transport, special, consolidation, integration), and rates or freight per trip, type of cargo, vehicle, benchmarking .

2. Design of a Transportation Master Plan. According to the analyzed information, it shall indicate mission, vision, strategic objectives, a flowchart of the existing transportation infrastructure and of the goods and services moved among them, action plan (construction and concessions program in accordance with the supply and demand projection, infrastructure reparation program, infrastructure development plan, and economic feasibility of them, identification of the main generators and tractors of transportation in the country, corridors, and cargo and passengers flows. Also main deficiencies of infrastructure, operation and functioning of transportation, recommendations for physical, operational and functional improvements to transportation, and recommendations of public policies). Outreach

1. Development and implementation of an informative program of the Master Plan. This component must include the following activities:

Determine the outreach program and financial sources to execute it.

Design of the outreach program.

Chronogram of activities.

Design and execution of a pilot plan with main actors.

64

Subject Area / Intervention: SYSTEMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND BUSINESS CLIMATE (LOGISTIC SERVICES)


a. Project Title: Design and Implementation of the National Strategy for Logistic Services.





2.1 Objectives: To accomplish the development of the logistic capacities in the Dominican Republic, in order to transform the country in the strategic distribution center of the region for goods and services. a) To identify the logistic services offered in the country and the existing over-cost in this field. b) To know the deficiencies in the existing logistic services. c) To detect the main legal and trade barriers that impedes the development of these services. d) To determine the public policies that should be promoted for the development of these types of services. e) To know the existing best practices in this field. f) To empower those who work in the field with a strategy for the stimulation of the development of logistic capacities in the DR. g) To identify the main initiatives that should be adopted in this field. 2.2 Purpose: a) To reduce the transactional costs of international trade and to speed trade, creating new job sources. (For this purpose, a base study will be made when the program starts and the measurement indicators for performance and results will be established). b) To improve the competitive position of the Dominican Republic.

Reduce the indicator of Cross-Border Trade of the Doing Business Report, done by the World Bank, in which we are in position number 32, and we are showing a light stagnation.

Reduce 5 points in the Enabling Trade Report of the World Economic Forum, in which we are in position number 81.

Reduce 5 points in the Logistic Index of the World Bank, in which we are in position number 65 and in

65

logistic quality and competence we are in 100.


1. Development of studies:

Compilation of information about the demand (behavior, legal framework, supply chain, geographical location and at the corridor level and customs regime, size, needs, components, actors, internal and external barriers, costs and over costs, of the processes).

Analysis on the possible synergies between the offer and demand.

Analysis of the main competitors of DR in the area of logistics services to obtain the competitive profile of the country.

Study on the administrative and legal decisions that directly and indirectly affect the promotion of logistic capacities.

Identification and analysis of the main existing obstacles for the promotion of the logistic capacities in policies, and legal and administrative provisions.

Analysis to determine barriers for the development of national and bi-nationals logistics services.

Identification of existing market niches in the area of logistics services, and the feasibility of creating a logistics cluster.

Subsequent diagnosis of the system.

2. Development and implementation of the National Strategy of Logistics Services. Design of the strategy

Chronogram for the Work

Design, organization and performance of a workshop for the validation of the results

Creation of a Committee of Promotion of the Logistic Capacities

Design and execution of a Pilot Plan

Presentation of the results in the workshop of strengthening of the logistic capacities



a. Project Title: Sensitization and Awareness Program to Promote an Integrated Single Window System of Foreign Trade in the Dominican Republic.


66


d. Executing Unit: National Competitiveness Council – General Directorate of Customs – Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic – American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic.

2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: To sensitize and create awareness in the heads and key functionaries of the public and

private agencies that are directly involved in the import and export processes about the need and importance for them and for the country of the implementation of an Integrated Single Window System for Foreign Trade in the Dominican Republic. 2.2 Purpose: To achieve in the country a favorable environment that allows the implementation of an Integrated Single Window System for Foreign Trade (VUIEXT).


1. Hiring of experts to design, organize and execute the sensitization and awareness workshops. The Project should include the following activities:

Compilation of information and relationship of public and private institutions that are directly involved in the import and export process, in order to determine the ones with which work should be done in the initial phase.

Identification of the persons that should participate in the workshops, based in their functions and influence in the institutions in which the work will be done in phase I, requiring the search of detailed information about this persons.

Design, organization and execution of the awareness and sensitization workshops: (Analysis of information, development of a political map, determination of the amount of workshops and/or meetings to make and the logistic to use, design of the methodology of the activity and of the presentations).

Drafting of the reports of the activities and findings and final recommendations.



a. Project Title: Capacity Building for the application of the Law on Corporate Restructuration and Bankruptcy.


c. Contact: Laura del Castillo. Coordinator of Business Climate CNC, Telephone: 1(809)-476-7262.

[email protected]

67


2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: To create the mechanisms for the correct implementation of the law, and avoid the

disappearance of economic units and job losses which are harmful for the country’s economy. 2.2 Purpose: To establish the necessary guarantees to avoid the bankruptcy of viable enterprises.


1. Technical assistance for the development of the regulation for the application of the law.

2. Development of a procedure manual for the judiciary sector in order to facilitate the correct application of the regulation of the law.

3. Support for the creation of the Corporate Restructuration Center in the Chamber of Commerce and Production of Santo Domingo and Santiago.

Training

1. Training for the Chamber of Commerce on the procedures to be applied.

2. Training to the judiciary power officials on conflict resolution according to the new law.

3. Training for the functionaries of the process: verifiers, conciliators and liquidators.


1. Development of a strategy for disseminating the benefits of the law and the ease of the procedures, through promotion seminars and workshops aimed at the private sector, civil society and public sector.

Subject Area / Intervention: SYSTEMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND BUSINESS CLIMATE (LOGISTIC SERVICES)


a. Project Title: Design and Implementation of a System of Logistics Intelligence for Exports.





68

2.1 Objective: To provide foreign trade actors and the public in general with a tool that compiles the main

strategic indicators for an adequate decision making process of the main foreign trade actors of the Dominican Republic. 2.2 Purpose: To achieve that the exporting sector has the necessary information in the logistic and

competitive intelligence fields that allows them to reach their goal markets, increasing the competitive performance of the Dominican exporting sector.



1. Design and implementation of the Logistic Intelligence System. The project shall include the following activities: • Compilation of information on what the exporter wants to know about: logistic operators and means of transportation of cargo, the main sources of consultation and the value that this information would have for them. • Determine the types of existing logistics operators and freight forwarders (shipping lines, shipping agencies, airlines, cargo carriers by land). • Quantify operators and the differences with other actors (customs broker, etc.). • Establish the name of the companies, location, contact, address, phone, fax, e-mail. • Describe: services, frequency, equipment, personnel and estimated time. • Determine average costs by type of service. • Identify the governmental institutions that regulate them. • Identify the barriers for their establishment and operation. • Establish the main factors influencing directly and indirectly in the determination of sea, air and land freights. • Determine comparative indicators of competitiveness in transport and logistics in the countries of the region. • Identify the variables fixed and variable that comprises rates in the 3 axis of transportation. • Make a compendium of best international practices to improve the competitiveness of the transport and logistics. • Determine the operating budget and the entity that would assume it, for the sustainability of the project. Outreach

1. Development and implementation of an outreach program of the intelligence logistics system. This component should include the following activities:

69

Design of a module that fits the information and dissemination system of the entity selected to have the strategic information system.

Development of workshops on critical validation of the tool. The consultant shall organize a meeting with the main public and private actors and the CNC to evaluate the functioning of the tool.

Perform the adjustments to the tool, based in the observations generated in the validation workshop and make the necessary modifications to the model.

Outreach activities of the tool.

Subject Area / Intervention: COMPETITION


a. Project Title: Development of mechanisms and capacities for the Implementation of the Law of Competition.


c. Contact: Magdalena Gil, Sector Planning Manager (MIC) Telephone: E-mail: [email protected]

d. Executing Unit: Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC)


2.1 Objective:

a. To create the necessary mechanisms for the correct implementation of the Law.

b. To achieve the compliance of the commitments of the Dominican Republic in the area of competition through the different international agreements.

2.2 Purpose: To develop a competition culture that promotes good trade practices, market access and the

elimination of anti-competition practices.



1. Design of the internal organizational structure of the authority and the relevant organizational and position manuals.

2. Development of the regulations for the application of the law; internal regulation for the functioning of the Authority; instructions and forms to perform the procedures; definition of professional profiles for the staff of the authority.

3. Sector studies to identify companies in a dominant position (in the country and in the Caribbean region)

70

to ensure that they know the basic principles and dynamics of competition.

4. Establishment of guidelines for the economic and legal analysis and its systematization; guidelines for evaluating the confidentiality of the information supplied by businesses.

Training

1. Training plan and training in competition policy aimed at: the staff of the Authority, the Judiciary Power, lawyers, private sector and consumers.

2. Advanced training for members of the Authority that includes (legal analysis, detection techniques, and research and economic and quantitative analysis).


1. Campaign for the promotion and dissemination of the law, as well as raising awareness to the issue of competition, aimed at society in general.

NOTA: This project and the activities included in it, correspond to some of the necessities identified and recommendations proposed in the study: Support to the Forum of Caribbean States (CARIFORUM) in the Implementation of Commitments undertaken under the Competition Policy Chapter of the Economic Partnership Agreement, done in 2007 with the support of the European Commission.

Subject Area / Intervention: GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT


a. Project Title: Study to verify the compliance of the government procurement legislation in force in the

Dominican Republic with the commitments of the EPA Agreement.


c. Contact: Melissa Cuevas García, Head of the Department of Policies, Norms and Procedures, Telephone: 1 (809) 682-7407, Ext. 2070; E-mail: [email protected]

d. Executing Unit: General Directorate for Government Procurement of the Ministry of Finance.


2.1 Objective: The objective is to harmonize the existing legislation in this area with the international agreements and comply with the commitments taken by the country. 2.2 Purpose: To achieve the compliance of the commitments taken by the Dominican Republic in

government procurement issues.

71



1. Technical assistance for the development of a comparative and harmonization study. Training 1. Workshop for the staff of the institution to present the results of the study.



a. Project Title: Single Procurement System.


c. Contact: Department of Policies, Norms and Procedures

d. Executing Unit: General Directorate for Government Procurement of the Ministry of Finance

2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: To establish and consolidate a national system of acquisitions, single and integrated,

through which all the public entities of the country shall procure all the goods and services in the same way and with similar procedures. 2.2 Purpose: To achieve an adequate integration between the Government Procurement System and the

rest of the systems that comprises the Governmental Financial Administration. 3. Activities by component:

Technical Assistance 1. Design and implementation of a Single System of Procurements. Training

1. Training program in government procurement for the technical staff of the General Directorate of Government Procurement. Acquisition of Equipments 1. Acquisition of informatics equipment that allows the creation of an electronic platform that registers all the procurements made by the institutions of the Dominican government. Dissemination and Promotion 1. Dissemination and training program for the entities involved with the System of Government Procurement.

72



a. Project Title: Planning of acquisitions in relationship to the budget process.



d. Executing Unit: General Directorate for Government Procurement of the Ministry of Finance and the

General Directorate of Budget of the Ministry of Economy.


2.1 Objective: To have an efficient methodology or mechanisms to link what is planned with the expenses. 2.2 Purpose: To achieve the correct execution of the procurement plans.

3. Activities by component


1. Design and implementation of a mechanism that allows the linkage between the planning of the government procurement with the expenses. Training 1. Training program on the functioning and management of the mechanism created. Dissemination and Promotion 1. Training program for the Analysts of Procurement Planning of the different State entities.



a. Project Title: Single Procurement Website.



e. Executing Unit: General Directorate for Government Procurement of the Ministry of Finance.


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2.1 Objective: Design, develop and implement a Single Website of Procurement, through which users can

make transactions such as: procurements, transferences, receive offers and send requests. 2.2 Purpose: To achieve the interconnection of other entities and the widening of the scope of the website.



1. Design, development and implementation of the Single Website of Procurement, through which users can make transactions such as: procurements, offers, transferences and requests. Training

1. Training to the technical staff of the DGCP on the functioning and management of the website.


1. Acquisition of a server for the Website’s platform. Dissemination and Promotion

1. Training workshops for all involved in the use and management of the website.



a. Project Title: Program to promote public savings and transparency in government procurement.



d. Executing Unit: General Directorate for Government Procurement of the Ministry of Finance.


2.1 Objective: To develop procurement policies aimed to promote public savings and transparency in

government procurement.

2.2 Purpose: To achieve efficiency and transparency in government procurement.


Technical Assistance 1. Study on policies and best practices aimed to promote public savings and transparency in government procurement. Training

1. Training program aimed to the staff of Procurement Planning of the different State entities to present the

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identified policies and best practices.

Subject Area / Intervention: EXPORTS


a. Project Title: Exports program for fruits and vegetables to the markets of the partners in EPA.

b. Strategic Guideline: Market Access

c. Contact: Acelis Ángeles and/or Aguie Lendor, Telephone: 1( 809) 530-5505, E-mail: Aguie.lendor@cei-

rd.gov.do; [email protected]

d. Executing Unit: Exportation and Investment Center of the Dominican Republic (CEI-RD).


2.1 Objective: To increase the exports of fruits and vegetables. 2.2 Purpose: To create an export culture of fruits and vegetables that complies with international

standards.


Technical Assistance 1. Technical assistance to establish the necessary mechanisms in order that local laboratories can apply

the protocols for the performance of phyto-sanitary analysis.

2. Define the protocols for sampling methodology (making samples, storage of counter samples, analysis, etc.) to ensure compliance with current regulations in countries of destination of exports.

3. Establish a methodology and protocols based in Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) , that includes traceability, for the establishment of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Manufacture Practices (GMP), Good Sanitation Practices (BPH), etc.

4. Technical assistance to establish a system that guarantees the appropriate recollection and management of agro-chemical containers, which involves authorities, agro-chemical merchants and farmers.

5. Technical assistance for the establishment of a protocol that assures that no phyto-sanitary certificates for export shall be issued, if they are not previously homologated and subject to periodic analysis of exports, or until all the items to be exported are analyzed.

6. Define a mechanism through which producers responsible of sending products to the EU that are found with phyto-sanitary problems shall assume their responsibility for the damage caused to the exportation image of the country.

Training 1. Training to the productive sector on the regulations and controls that applies to the entire productive

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chain, including aspects such as: hygiene, public health and plant health.

2. Training program to the productive sector on the regulations established by the European Union for imports of fruits and vegetables.

NOTE: This project and the activities it contains are according with some of the necessities identified and the recommendations proposed in the document: “Study on the Fruit and Vegetables Export Offer for the market of the EPA partners”, done in May 2010, with the support of Short Term Technical Assistance of the Program for Institutional Support for the Regional Integration (ISPRI).

Subject Area / Intervention: TRADE FACILITATION AND CUSTOMS PROCEDURES


a. Project Title: Development and Implementation of a Risk System.


c. Contact: Eduardo Rodríguez, Technical Deputy Director. Tel. 809-547-7070 ext. 2210,

[email protected], and/or Elisa Pimentel, Head of the Department of International Relations and Trade Negotiations, [email protected]

d. Executing Unit: Customs General Directorate


2.1 Objective: To create an effective control of the supply chain and the firm, decisive and strong f ight

against counterfeits, illicit trade of goods, fighting of the illicit activities such as drug traffic, terrorism, money laundering, trade of protected species, and substances harmful to the environment. 2.2 Purpose: To promote the safety of the national supply chain.


1. Technical professional assistance for the development and implementation of the risk management system. Training 1. Courses, workshops and/or seminars program to train in risk analysis.


1. Acquisition of a software that allows the consolidation and expansion of the risk management system as a control method and for the application of the selectivity on the release.

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a. Project Title: Reorganization and adaptation of the administrative structure of the institution.


c. Contact: Deputy Technical Directorate and/or Department of International Relations and Trade

Negotiations.



2.1 Objective: To program the necessary actions to raise the national and international recognition as an efficient and modern institution, that adapts efficiently to the supply logistic chain and provides value added, rising the competitiveness level of the country and of satisfaction of the users. 2.2 Purpose: To strengthen customs management and the institutional image.



1. Development of a training policy to guide and supply the education needs of the staff, in order to increase their capacities and improve their performance.

2. Technical assistance to increase the use of technology in all processes and in all instances of the institution.

3. Technical assistance to guarantee the correct and fair charge of the fiscal revenues, through the exact determination of taxes and the permanent fight against the illegal activities.



a. Project Title: Development of Quick Guides for the correct determination of the origin of goods.



Negotiations.

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d. Executing Unit: Customs General Directorate, DICOEX, CEI-RD

2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: To achieve a better knowledge of the real production of the DR-CAFTA and EPA countries.

2.2 Purpose: The correct determination of the origin of goods.



1. Compilation of information and subsequent design of quick guides for origin determination (knowledge of the actual production of DR-CAFTA and EPA countries, knowledge of regional practices.

Training

1. Workshops for the strengthening of capacities in origin verification issues.



a. Project Title: Development of Technical Capacities and the Improvement of the Institution’s Processes.


c. Contact: Deputy Technical Directorate and/or Department of International Relations and Trade Negotiations.



2.1 Objective: To increase in a significant way the technical capacities of Customs staff to develop the required efficiency in an institution that controls and facilitates international trade. 2.2 Purpose: To have a completely trained staff.


1. Technical assistance for the development of seminars and internships on customs issues.

2. Technical assistance to identify the necessities for the application of modern custom techniques, risk assessment, goods release, compliance with international norms and customs automation.

3. Technical assistance for the strengthening of taxes administration and the improvement of customs

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incomes revenues.

Training

1. Workshops, seminars, internships and courses on customs valuation in accordance to the WTO, Rules of Origin, International Agreements and Tariff Classification.


1. Follow up on the draft Customs Law, which includes the best international customs practices.



a. Project Title: Development of a Laboratory Unit



Negotiations.


2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: To have an efficient tool to fight fiscal fraud in international trade duties and in special taxes,

and to have in mind the problems in the areas of health, environmental watch and the fight against falsifications. 2.2 Purpose: To achieve an important reduction in the levels of fraud, falsification and health and

environmental violations on goods. 3. Activities by component:


1. Technical assistance for the development of the laboratory unit.

2. Technical assistance for the development of operation manuals for detecting illegal goods.

Training

1. Training program aimed to chemists and laboratory analysts on good functioning and analysis of materials.


1. Development of a document that details the advantages of implementing and developing a customs laboratory, as well as the exchange of information and techniques with countries that have implemented a laboratory unit.

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a. Project Title: Development and Implementation of a Statistics System.



Negotiations.



2.1 Objective: To have an efficient tool that allows the generation of precise information on the trade and customs activities and that facilitates the decision making process in trade issues. 2.2 Purpose: To achieve a transparent, correct and unified management of the statistics on trade with third countries.



1. Technical assistance for the development of a data statistics platform of trade and customs.

Training

1. Training program in the management of statistics and data analysis on international trade.


1. Development and dissemination of a document that details the advantages of the statistical platform and the benefits of a tool for taking decisions in monetary policy (in economic and trade issues), as well as market analysis.



a. Project Title: Definition of the instrument for administering the rules of origin of EPA.


c. Contact: Martín Zapata Sánchez, General Director of Tax Policies and Legislation of the Ministry of

Finance of the Dominican Republic, Telephone: 1 (809) 687-5131 Ext. 2098, E-mail:

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[email protected]

d. Executing Unit: General Directorate of Tax Policies and Legislation (DGLT) of the Ministry of Finance and the Customs General Directorate (DGA).


2.1 Objective: To have a mechanism that facilitates and improves the administration of the rules of origin.

2.2 Purpose: To achieve a better advantageous usage of EPA through the efficient administration of the

rules of origin.



1. Identification of a technological instrument that permits an efficient management of the rules of origin of EPA. 2. Development of a data base that contains the rules of origin of EPA and that is available for Customs and the public in general. Training

Training on the functioning and management of the data base of EPA. Acquisition of Equipments

Acquisition of hardware and software for the management of the rules of origin of EPA. Dissemination and Promotion

1. Development of quick guides to be distributed in electronic and physical formats where the rules of origin of EPA are explained, the products to which they apply and the functioning of the selected technological instrument. 2. Perform activities that promote the harmonization of customs procedures and requirements in the region.

Subject Area / Intervention: INNOVATION


a. Project Title: Institutional and operational strengthening of the Institution for the Innovation in

Biotechnology and Industry (IIBI).


c. Contact: Alejandro Tabar Gómez, Services Coordinator, Telephone: 1 (809) 566-8121 ext. 3336

E-mail: [email protected]

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d. Executing Unit: Institution for the Innovation in Biotechnology and Industry (IIBI).

2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: To improve the technical and managerial capacities of IIBI to satisfy the necessities of users

and increase the competitiveness levels of Dominican industrials.

2.2 Purpose: To have a completely trained staff, with automated processes and ideal equipment to provide

a high quality service in order to contribute with the improvement of the competitiveness level of the country.



1. Design and implementation of an Automatic Statistics System to improve and group all the information generated in the different technical areas of the IIBI. 2. Design and implementation of a mechanism that allow the Automation of the Nutritional Labeling to improve the quality of the services given to the users. 3. Study that allows the optimization (capacity of investigation, development and offer of services and of best international practices) of the Useful Life Services for the food products of the agro-industrial sector. Training

1. Design on a training plan and permanent training for the staff of the institution according to the necessities of each department. 2. Training courses in the management of statistics and data compilation. 3. Training programs for the use and management of the different equipments purchased (measurement of combustion gases, software for automation of nutrition labeling). 4. Training program for professionals and public officials that want up to date knowledge in the Food Agro-industry areas and Community Association programs. Dissemination and Promotion

1. Design of a promotional campaign (videos, brochures and other information materials) to inform about the services offered by the institution. 2. Performance of public events that allow the dissemination of the services offered by the institution.


1. Equipment for the measurement of combustion gases and particles that allow IIBI to promote a better

compliance of the environmental norms.

2. Acquisition of a software for the automation of the nutrition labels process.

3. Acquisition of incubators with temperature registry for the Useful Life laboratory.

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4. Acquisition and installation of modern equipment of heat penetration that allow improving this service.



a. Project Title: Automated Services System


c. Contact: Services Coordinator

d. Executing Unit: Institution for the Innovation in Biotechnology and Industry (IIBI)


2.1 Objective: To have an efficient tool that allows the control of the samples from their reception until the

delivery of the results, that at the same time provide the user with an automated system by electronic means that allows them to receive the results in the established time. 2.2 Purpose: To satisfy our users by providing them with an automated services system, quick and

efficient.


Technical Assistance 1. Technical assistance for the creation of the software to be developed. Training 1. Socializing course to explain the results of the project and its benefits for technicians and users. Acquisition of Equipments 1. Acquisition of a software that allows the consolidation of the objective, as well as the computers for the client services areas and the laboratories, also the necessary accessories and cables.



a. Project Title: Accreditation of Laboratory Tests on Residual Waters


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2.1 Objective: Accreditation of 10 tests by the ISO/IEC/17025 for the residual water field.

2.2 Purpose: Strengthen the capacity of IIBI in providing testing services of residual water that have

international recognition, and help Dominican manufacturers comply with Dominican environmental standards allowing them to be more competitive.


1. Technical assistance by an international specialist of the area of residual water and accreditation. Training

1. Training courses and visits to accredited laboratories in the field of residual waters. Acquisition of Equipments

1. Acquisition of equipments that allow the increment of the installed capacity, in order to receive a greater quantity of samples.



a. Project Title: Accreditation of Sample Taking of Water and Foods




2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: To strengthen IIBI’s capacity in the provision of water and food sampling services that have

international recognition. 2.2 Purpose: To achieve the accreditation of the physical, chemical and microbiologic analysis performed

in the different laboratories of IIBI.


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Technical Assistance 1. Technical assistance by a professional with experience and knowledgeable in the field of sample taking for physical, chemical and microbiological analysis of water in accordance with the guidelines of norm ISO/IEC/17025:2005. 2. Technical assistance by a professional with experience and knowledgeable in the field of sample taking for physical, chemical and microbiological analysis of food in accordance with the guidelines of norm ISO/IEC/17025:2005. Training

1. Internship for two technicians in laboratories accredited under norm ISO/IEC/17025:2005.



a. Project Title: Anatomic and Molecular Characterization of the Green Ebony



d. Executing Unit: Institution for the Innovation in Biotechnology and Industry (IIBI) and the Ebano Verde Foundation in Constanza

2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1-Objective: The creation of a technical card for the Green Ebony (and for other endemic species of our

country) so that it can represent all the anatomic and molecular characteristics, while at the same time the possibility of its in-vitro multiplication can be researched. 2.2 Purpose: To characterize anatomically and molecularly through a technical card the verification of this

species as unique in the world and to contribute to its reproduction by the method with best results.


1. Technical assistance by researchers with experience in In-Vitro plan multiplication. 2. Technical assistance by an expert in molecular vegetable research. Training

1. Socialization course with technicians of the Ebano Verde Foundation in order to discuss the main problems of reproduction in green houses.

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2. Course for the strengthening of the specific technical capacities of the germination problem.



a. Project Title: Determination of the Incidence of Black Sigatoka in Harvests of Organic Plantains.

b. Strategic Guideline: Food Safety



2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: To achieve an updated assessment of all areas that are or could be affected in order to alert

the institutions that draw the productive policy as well as the producers, to take the phyto-sanitary measures that contribute to its prevention. 2.2 Purpose: To contribute with the prevention of the Black Sigatoka.


1. Consultancy by a field expert with training and experience in the handling of the Black Sigatoka. Training

1. Courses for technicians of various public and private institutions on the symptoms, characteristics and incidence of the Black Sigatoka in organic bananas. Acquisition of Equipments 1. Acquisition of PCR equipment for molecular diagnostic of the illness. 2. Materials for harvesting and inputs that allow the in vitro production of plantains of the Fhia-21 variety, resistant to the Black Sigatoka.



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a. Project Title: Improvement of the Advisory System on the Implementation of the Hazardous Analysis

and Critical Control Points (HACCP).



d. Executing Unit: Institution for the Innovation in Biotechnology and Industry (IIBI)/ Industrial Biotechnology


2.1 Objective: Improve the services offered to our users, providing the agro-industrial sector with an

efficient advisory system on the field of implementation of the System of Critical Control Points that contributes to improve the quality of the processes and products to make businesses more competitive.

2.2 Purpose: To provide the Service of Implementation of the System of Critical Control Points to the national manufacturers and exporters.



1. Consultants in implementation of HACCP in dairies, fishes, meats, canned foods, fruits and vegetables. Training

1. Workshop on the application of HACCP.



a. Project Title: Research and Development (R+D) System for Dairy Products and its Derivates.

b. Strategic Guideline: Institutional Strengthening.


d. Executing Unit: Institution for the Innovation in Biotechnology and Industry (IIBI)/ Industrial Biotechnology.

2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: Improve the service capacity of the institute to meet the services demand for the dairy industry, providing services with modern technologies that enable us to develop, improve and innovate the processes of the dairy industries.

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2.2 Purpose: To provide Research and Development (R+D) services in the field of dairy products, to

contribute with the competitiveness of their products in the market.

3. Activities by component: Technical Assistance 1. Consultancy by a specialist in the field of dairies and its derivates. Training

Course on Processing and Formulation of dairy products aimed to our customers. Acquisition of Equipments 1. Acquisition of the necessary equipment and accessories to provide a quality service to the dairy products sector.



a. Project Title: Use of Solar Energy on IIBI Laboratories.





2.1 Objective: a). Provide emergency power via photovoltaic panels to IIBI laboratories to reduce the bill and fuel consumption. b). Provision of hot water with solar energy for the hygiene of all the utensils used in the laboratory area. c). Build a pilot model for a hybrid solar dryer for use in the processes of dehydration and preservation of food products, wood and others, contributing to the saving of conventional energy (electricity and propane gas). 2.2 Purpose: To contribute with the use of clean and renewable energy.


Technical Assistance 1. Consultancy by an expert in the field of solar energy.

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Training

1. Course of awareness on the importance of the project, its objectives and benefits for IIBI and the country. 2. Workshop aimed to the technical staff of IIBI in the operation and maintenance of solar systems. Acquisition of Equipments

1. Acquisition of photovoltaic panels, inverters, solar batteries and accessories to provide emergency solar energy to laboratories. 2. Acquisition of solar collectors, pumps, tanks, pipes and fittings for the supply of hot water with solar energy. 3. Acquisition of supplies (wood, flexi-glass, fans and photovoltaic solar panels) to build a pilot model for a hybrid solar dryer.



a. Project Title: Detection of transgenic in corn and soy based foods in the Dominican Republic.

.

b. Strategic Guideline: Food Safety


d. Executing Unit: Vegetable Biotechnology Center (CEBIVE) of the Institution for the Innovation in

Biotechnology and Industry (IIBI).

2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: To detect the presence of transgenic in corn and soy based foods.

2.2 Purpose: Establish a technologic platform that allows for detection techniques and counting of transgenic events in corn and soy based food in the Dominican Republic.


Technical Assistance 1. Technical assistance for the implementation of detection and quantification protocols of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and its subsequent accreditation under ISO/IEC 17025:2005. Training 1. Training to IIBI’s staff in detection and quantification of transgenic events.

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Acquisition of Equipments 1. Acquisition of basic equipment for the strengthening of GMO detection laboratory.

Subject Area / Intervention: UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES AND SAFEGUARD MEASURES.


a. Project Title: Improvement of the capacities and processes of the Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguards

Measures Commission.


c. Contact: Gianna Franjul Rivera, Executive Director, Telephone: 1 (809) 476-0111, E-mail:

[email protected]

d. Executing Unit: Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguards Measures Commission.


2.1 Objective: To achieve the individual and collective training of the staff of the Commission and the

improvement of its processes, in order to achieve a completely efficient and effective functioning.

2.2 Purpose: To have a trained staff and manuals for technical procedures created, reviewed and validated.



1. Development of the operational manuals of the Commission. Training 1. Training to the technical staff in WTO’s norms regarding safeguards, dumping, and subsidies. 2. Internship in a counterpart institution where the selected staff can acquire new knowledge, based on a comparative experience. 3. On-site advice to the Department of Research of the Commission, in areas identified as priorities.

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a. Project Title: Modification of Law 1-02 on Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguards Measures and its Implementing Regulation.

b. Strategic Guideline: Regulatory Improvement

c. Contact: Executive Direction



Objective: To achieve the review of Law 1-02 and its Implementing Regulation, in order to strengthen its

procedures in accordance to the international best practices and to the provisions of the WTO Agreements on this subject.

2.2 Purpose: Law 1-02 on Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguards Measures and its Implementing Regulation reviewed, modified and approved.


1. Expert advice to review the Law 1-02 and its Implementing Regulation and identify those provisions that need to be amended. Training

1. Training aimed to the public and private sectors on the modifications of Law 1-02 and its implementing regulation.

Dissemination and Promotion 1. Develop a document detailing the provisions of the Law 1-02 and its Implementing Regulation. 2. Holding a series of meetings with business associations, lawyers, representatives of the productive sectors and public officials of specialized areas, in order to promote the knowledge and use of the provisions of Law 1-02 and its Implementing Regulation.



a. Project Title: Study on prospective products with possibility of a safeguard application in the European market.

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b. Strategic Guideline: Implementation (EPA). This commitment shall be covered in the first five years of

the entry into force of EPA and subject to its review no later than 120 days before the deadline.




2.1 Objective: To determine the prospective products with possibility of a safeguard application in the European market and make the recommendations of intervention. 2.2 Purpose: Studies on prospective products with possibility of a safeguard application in the European market and make the recommendations of intervention performed.



1. Consultancy for preparing the study. Training

1. Meeting with the national productive sectors to determine the importance and scope of the study. Dissemination and Promotion 1. Activity to present the results of the study.



a. Project Title: Dissemination of the mandate of the Unfair Trade Practices and Safeguards Measures Commission.





2.1 Objective: Raise awareness at the national level of the objectives of the Commission and the procedures in the defense of national production against the damages that could result of unfair trade practices and the increased imports. 2.2 Purpose: To achieve the awareness of the services of the Commission at a national level, in every

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sector that could be affected by unfair trade practices.



1. Hiring of international experts, who will participate as speakers.

Training

1. Identification of interested sectors to coordinate the holding of informative seminars and workshops, at the provincial level.

Subject Area / Intervention: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY


a. Project Title: Development of capacities and improvement of processes of the offices in charge of

intellectual property in the country (National Office of Industrial Property – ONAPI - and National Office of Copyright - ONDA).


c. Contact: Ana Cristina Castro, Head of the Division of International and Inter-institutional Affairs; Telephone: 1 (809) 567-7474 Ext.3265, E-mail: [email protected] and Claribel Solano, Administrative Director of ONDA, Telephone: 1 (809) 508-7373 ext. 222, E-mail: [email protected]

d. Executing Unit: National Office of Industrial Property (ONAPI) and/or National Office of Copyright

(ONDA)

2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: To achieve individual and collective training of the staff in the departments of the institutions

related to Intellectual Property, as well as the improvement of their processes, in order to achieve a completely efficient and effective functioning.

2.2 Purpose: ONAPI and ONDA staff trained and efficient processes, adapted to the best practices.


Technical Assistance 1. Development of a manual of best practices on management of technologic information regarding patents and technology transfer. 2. Preparation of a study for the institutional strengthening of the ONDA, based on international best practices. 3. Implementation of a quality management system that includes the organizational structure, job profiles, procedures, processes and resources.

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4. Development of a fully digital filing system. 5. Improvement of the website of the ONDA, for the transparent and digital management of information, inquiries and complaints. 6. Development and implementation of a preventive system of border control to allow the DGA to prohibit, anticipate and control the entry into national territory of goods (players) used to infringe the Copyright Law. Training 1. Training program for the staff in the Department of Distinctive Signs on examination of sound and scent marks. 2. Training program for staff of the Office of Inventions on the examination and evaluation of patents in the field of biotechnology. 3. Training program in management of technologic information and technology transference. 4. Internships for ONAPI officials in the area of dispute settlement in the World Trade Organization (WTO). 5. Training program on the development of plant and animal patents in cases of biotechnological advances. 6. Education and training program for handling claims relating to intellectual property. 7. Training program for ONDA staff according to the needs and recommendations arising from the studies of institutional strengthening. Regulatory Improvement

1. Development of guidelines for the examination of sound and scent marks.

2. Development of guidelines for the evaluation and examination of patents if the field of biotechnologies.

3. Development of a norm, regulation or procedure that allows for more effective prosecution of crimes regarding broadcast signals.

NOTE: The activities of the National Office of Copyrights (ONDA) recollects the recommendations

presented in the study “Inventory of the commitments of the Dominican Republic in the area of copyrights

and related rights in DR-CAFTA, under the responsibility of ONDA”, done by consultant Angelica Noboa in

December 2009 for Chemonics International, Inc.



a. Project Title: Assessment, analysis and dissemination of the commitments undertaken by the Dominican

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Republic in the intellectual property area, through international trade agreements.

b. Strategic Guideline: Implementation of DR-CAFTA and EPA.

c. Contact: Division of International and Inter-institutional Affairs of ONAPI and Administrative Directorate

of ONDA.

d. Executing Unit: : National Office of Industrial Property (ONAPI) and/or National Office of Copyright

(ONDA)


2.1 Objective: To achieve a complete understanding of the commitments of the Dominican Republic in

Intellectual Property in view of the implementation and advantageous usage of the different trade agreements signed by the country. 2.2 Purpose: The staff of the institutions (ONAPI and ONDA) trained, and the users of the Intellectual Property system informed about the commitments of the country in this subject, and the forms of benefiting of the provisions of the agreements.


1. Preparation of studies on the conformity of national legislation on Intellectual Property and the various international treaties to which the country must adhere to, as part of the commitments under DR-CAFTA and EPA. 2. Preparation of a study detailing the advantages and the ways in which users of the industrial property system can benefit from the provisions of the trade agreements signed by the country. 3. Review of the national regulatory framework in comparison with the provisions in EPA regarding genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore. Training

1. Workshops for the staff of ONDA and ONAPI to present the results of studies on the conformity of national laws on IP issues and the provisions of international treaties to which RD should adhere as part of the commitments made under DR-CAFTA and EPA. 2. Training program to present and disseminate the country's commitments on intellectual property, and the benefits and ways to take advantage of trade agreements. 3. Establishment of a Regional Forum between CARIFORUM countries to share best practices and promote regional initiatives in the field of patents, registrations and intellectual property in general.



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a. Project Title. Information program on Intellectual Property Rights.


c. Contact: Division of International and Inter-institutional Affairs of ONAPI and Administrative Directorate of ONDA.

d. Executing Unit: National Office of Industrial Property (ONAPI) and/or National Office of Copyright

(ONDA) 2. Objective and Purpose:

2.1 Objective: To contribute to increase the knowledge among the users of the industrial property system and of the public in general regarding the importance and the advantages of the use of industrial property rights. 2.2 Purpose: To increase the knowledge levels on industrial property rights and significantly increase the

use of this rights in the country.

3. Activities by component Training

1. Training workshops on the implementation of the protection of industrial designs in the textile sector. 2. Training to the officials of the Judiciary Power on enforcement of intellectual property rights and conflict resolution.

3. Training for SMEs in implementing mechanisms to protect industrial property. Dissemination and Promotion

1. Development and dissemination of didactic manuals that detail the Intellectual/ Industrial Property Rights and the benefits of protecting such rights. 2. Development and dissemination of a guide that details the advantages and rights of industrial property protection in enforcement issues. 3. Development and dissemination of a document detailing the importance and listing the advantages of protecting industrial designs in the textile sector.

Subject Area / Intervention: INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY


a. Project Title: Assessment of the implementation of Chapter XV of DR-CAFTA, among the counterpart offices of the Parties to the Agreement.

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b. Strategic Guideline: Implementation (DR-CAFTA).

c. Contact: Division of International and Inter-institutional Affairs of ONAPI.

d. Executing Unit: National Office of Industrial Property (ONAPI)

2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: To evaluate the implementation process of the regulatory framework established in Chapter

XV of DR-CAFTA, through the exchange of experiences between the Industrial Property Offices of the Parties of the agreement and identify the best practices of the region. 2.2 Purpose: To achieve the compliance with the commitments under the agreement through best regional practices.



1. Preparation of a Regional Forum to assess the implementation process of DR-CAFTA on Industrial Property issues in the countries that are Parties, and the subsequent preparation of a study of the best practices in the region.



a. Project Title. Impact study to adequate the European model on the extension of the protection of industrial designs.

b. Strategic Guideline: Implementation EPA

c. Contact: Division of International and Inter-institutional Affairs of ONAPI

d. Executing Unit: : National Office of Industrial Property (ONAPI)


2.1 Objective: To analyze the impact for the industrial property system of adopting the European model regarding the extension of the protection of industrial designs. 2.2 Purpose: To achieve the adoption of the European model regarding the extension of the protection of industrial designs in an adequate and efficient manner.


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1. Development of an impact study



a. Project Title. International recognition and protection of geographical indications.


c. Contact: Division of International and Inter-institutional Affairs of ONAPI

d. Executing Unit: National Office of Industrial Property (ONAPI)


2.1 Objective: To recognize the origin denominations of Dominican products and to protect national products with export potential. 2.2 Purpose: To exploit the figure of origin denomination and geographical indications in national products

and give value added to Dominican products that have a reputation in the international market. 3. Activities by component

Technical Assistance.

1. Development of a study on the international recognition and protection of geographical indications. 2. Development of a study on the creation of origin denominations or geographical indications of domestic products with export potential.

Subject Area / Intervention: SMES


a. Project Title: Development of a strategy to promote the use of Information and Communication

Technology (ICTs) in SMEs.


c. Contact: Sócrates E. Martínez de Moya, Head of International Relations, Telephone 1 (829) 473-8525,

E-mail [email protected] d. Executing Unit: Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL) and Dominican Chamber of

Information and Communication Technologies (CAMTIC) and SMES.

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2.1 Objective: To have a national strategy on the access and use of the small and medium enterprises.

2.2 Purpose: To incorporate the Dominican SMES in the efficient and competitive use of the new ICTs.



1. Development of a diagnosis of the capacities and needs of the SME sector in relation to access and use of ICTs. 2. Design of a strategy that allows the promotion of the access and use of ICTs in SMEs. This strategy should include the following aspects: - Creation of tax incentives for the use of ICTs. - Propose a mechanism to ensure a percentage of government procurements for SMEs. - Promote financing mechanisms for the use (purchase and upgrade) of ICT for SMEs. - Identify mechanisms to reduce the cost of entry for the use of ICT in enterprises. - Encourage government-level negotiations with key suppliers to achieve preferential conditions. - Promote local business clusters to provide solutions and services to the SME sector. - Education and training in the use and advantageous usage of ICTs. - Develop the use of electronic commerce in SMEs. Training 1. Workshops for SMEs to raise awareness of the strategy designed and involve them in implementing it. Dissemination and Promotion 1. Development of a promotional campaign to present the strategy.

Subject Area / Intervention: SMES


a. Project Title: Awareness of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES) regarding Intellectual Property

Rights.


c. Contact: Ana Cristina Castro, Head of the Division of International and Inter-institutional Affairs of

ONAPI; Telephone: 1 (809) 567-7474 Ext.3265, E-mail: [email protected].

d. Executing Unit: ONAPI, ONDA, CNC, SMES, CEI-RD, and Incubator Network.

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2.1 Objective: To promote the use of Industrial Property in the Small and Medium Enterprises as a

fundamental tool in their efforts of innovation and competitiveness.

2.2 Purpose: To incorporate the Dominican SMES in the efficient and competitive use of industrial property rights.



1. Development of a diagnostic of the capacities and needs of the SMEs sector in relation to Industrial Property rights. 2. Design of a strategy that allows the promotion of the use of Intellectual Property Rights in SMEs. Training

1. Training and education in the use and advantageous usage of intellectual property rights.

Subject Area / Intervention: PUBLIC HEALTH


a. Project Title: Institutional and Operational Strengthening of the Ministry of Public Health


c. Contact: Dr. Andrés Salvador Hiciano Torres, Head of Risk Control of Food and Beverages, General

Directorate of Environmental Health, Telephone 1 (809)541-3121 ext. 2525, 2204 and 2245, E-mail: [email protected]

d. Executing Unit: Ministry of Health


2.1 Objective: To significantly improve the capacities of the staff and make the operational processes of the institution more efficient. 2.2 Purpose: Strengthen the institution in order to provide a quality service to the people.


Technical Assistance 1. Development of studies in the areas of: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SOP or SSOP). Acquisition of Equipments

1. Purchase of computers, digital thermometers and audio visual equipment.

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Dissemination and Promotion 1. Design and implementation of a training program to disseminate and promote best practices in the following areas: sell on public roads, healthy markets, municipal slaughterhouses, health tourism, dairy products, ports, airports and border crossings, hospitality kitchens, school breakfast (reception, storage and handling in delivery) and economic restaurants. 2. Development of manuals, magazines and quick guides on the different issues handled by the institution.



a. Project Title: Strengthening of the Fishery Sector in Sanitary Issues.


c. Contact: Department of Risk Control of Food and Beverages, General Directorate of Environmental Health, Ministry of Health.

d. Executing Unit: Ministry of Health, Fisheries Sector, Codopesca


2.1 Objective: To improve sanitary procedures in the fisheries sector according to the best international practices. 2.2 Purpose: To strengthen the fisheries sector in the country in order to make it more competitive and

efficient.



1. Study of the regulatory framework applicable to the fisheries sector to ensure its compatibility with international standards and commitments in trade agreements signed by the State. 2. Study on the international best practices in storage, transportation, fishermen health and the infrastructure of boats. 3. Study on the needs in testing laboratories and recommendations aligned with international best practices. Training 1. Training program in the handling of fish and seafood for the staff that handle these products. 2. Training to the fishing sector on the regulations and controls applicable throughout the entire production chain, covering all aspects of hygiene, public health and animal health. 3. Training on the regulations established by the European Union for imports of fishery products.

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4. Training in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) addressed to the tourism and hospitality sector. NOTE: This project and the activities it contains are according to some of the necessities identified and the

recommendations proposed in the study: “Study to Improve Compliance with EU Commission Sanitary Standards in the CARIFORUM Fisheries Sector”, done in 2006 with the support of the European Commission.



a. Project Title: Improvement of the processes and management of the Vice-ministry of Quality Assurance

of the Ministry of Public Health.


c. Contact: María Villa de Pina, Vice-minister of Quality Assurance, Telephone: 1 (809) 541-3121, ext.

2266, E-mail: [email protected]

d. Executing Unit: Vice-ministry of Quality Assurance of the Ministry of Public Health.

2. Objective and Purpose: 2.1 Objective: To develop efficient norms and procedures according to the best international practices.

2.2 Purpose: To regulate in a transparent way and in compliance with national and international norms the functioning of the vice-ministry of quality management.


1. Structuring the procedures for sale and distribution of medicines in RD. 2. Establish the processes and formalities to protect the data of pharmaceutical products and ensure the safety of the undisclosed information and test data.

Training

1. Missions to learn best practices and experiences in regulatory "model" agencies. Regulatory Improvement

1. Prepare sector-specific regulations in sectors such as dairy, poultry, meat, among others.

2. Prepare regulations for the export of pharmaceuticals products of free zones.

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3. Development of mandatory standards for exportation and importation, marketing and management of raw materials for drugs.

Subject Area / Intervention: SERVICES (TELECOMMUNICATIONS)


a. Project Title: Development of a cost model for the determination of the charges of end calls in fixed and

mobile telephones in the Dominican Republic.


c. Contact: Sócrates E. Martínez de Moya, Head of the Department of International Relations, Telephone:

1 (829) 473-8525, E-mail: [email protected]

e. Executing Unit: Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL)


2.1 Objective: To design a cost model for determining interconnection charges for mobile and fixed

network operating in the Dominican market in various forms of negotiations, established by the General Interconnection Regulation, in example, the determination of the charges per minute or the charges for network capacity, considering also the technological innovations in switching. In addition, it is necessary that these consulting services provide technical assistance to the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL), so that it is able to run the model in the future. 2.2 Purpose: To implement the cost model for interconnection charges for mobile and fixed network in an

effective way and have technicians trained in the management of the informatics system used.



1. Design and implement a model to determine interconnection costs. 2. Study to determine the costs of fixed and mobile interconnection. Training

1. Training for employees of INDOTEL in the operation and use of the tool designed. Acquisition of Equipments / Programs

1. Acquisition of a software that allows the determination of the costs of fixed and mobile interconnection.

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Subject Area / Intervention: TELECOMMUNICATIONS


a. Project Title: Linkage of the Optical Cable of Numeric Fiber already in place between Guadalupe and

Martinique with the Dominican Republic.

b. Strategic Guideline: Implementation (EPA Regional Cooperation)

c. Contact: Department of International Relations

d. Executing Unit: Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL)


2.1 Objective: To have a study about the technical and economic feasibility of including the Dominican Republic in the Submarine Cable already established between Guadalupe and Martinique. 2.2 Purpose: To increase the connectivity of the Caribbean region.



1. Prepare a study that shows the technical and financial feasibility of expanding the submarine cable to the Dominican Republic.

2. Extend the study to assess the possibility that the submarine cable reaches Haiti.



a. Project Title: Analysis of the harmonization of the functions of the telecommunications regulatory body and the specialized bodies of competition policy and consumer protection.



d. Executing Unit: Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL), National Institute of Consumer

Rights (Pro-Consumidor), Competition Commission.


2.1 Objective: To have an analysis that allows the harmonization of functions between the

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telecommunication regulating organism and the specialized organisms of consumer protection and competition defense, according to the legal framework that creates each one, as well as the best international practices in this area.

2.2 Purpose: To achieve the harmonization of functions among the different specialized organisms in order

to assure more efficient services and protection to the consumer.



1. Develop a study to define the powers and functions of the telecommunications regulatory body, the body of competition policy, and the consumer protection body, under the legal framework of each of these institutions.

2. Propose a scheme to indicate the best form of interaction and harmonization of the work between these institutions in accordance with international best practices.



a. Project Title: Creation of multimedia content of commercial character.





2.1 Objective: To develop a project for the creation of commercial multimedia content.

2.2 Purpose: To develop the market of mobile contents in the DR, contributing to the creation of value

added in the industry of digital contents.



Technical assistance to develop a project that allows to create a new industry of generation of multimedia content, such as digital music and video, video games, ringtones and animations, among other types of multimedia contents. Activities to perform:

1. Conduct an analysis of the domestic industry of multimedia content creation.

2. Assessment of the existing academic programs in multimedia content and make recommendations.

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3. Design a strategy to develop the multimedia content industry.



a. Project Title: Consolidation of the Network “Red Avanzada Dominicana de Educación e Investigación

(Dominican Advanced Network for Education and Research) (RADEI)”.





2.1 Objective: To develop an action plan for the functioning of RADEI, including a plan for the development

of the contents of the network.

2.2 Purpose: To promote the connection and use of “advanced networks” between Dominican universities

in order to promote the development of investigations, and scientific and technologic development and innovation in the country.



Technical assistance for the functioning of RADEI, for which it is necessary to develop the following activities:

1.- Diagnose the current state of the connection and use of intra and inter university networks in the Dominican universities.

2.- Develop an action plan to deploy efficiently and effectively the connection between universities and the use of advanced networks.

Training

1. Training program on the operation and management of the network to officials of the related institutions.

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Subject Area / Intervention: QUALITY SYSTEMS


a. Project Title: Improvement of the infrastructure and management of the General Directorate of Norms

and Quality Systems.


c. Contact: Claribel López, Executive Coordinator of Special Projects and Agreements. Telephone: 1(809)

686-2205, [email protected]

d. Executing Unit: General Directorate of Norms and Quality Systems


2.1 Objective: To create adequate infrastructure and procedures to guarantee the quality of Dominican

products.

2.2 Purpose: To guarantee the quality of Dominican products in order to facilitate the industrial

development and trade in international markets.


1. Design and implementation of a strategic plan and a standardization infrastructure.

2. Development and implementation of the National Metrology System.

3. Creation and establishment of an official certification institution.

4. Evaluation of national quality standards to ensure they are aligned either by harmonization, adaptation or adoption to the international standards in force.

Training

1. Training program for staff of the institution that includes: technical standards, metrology and certification.

2. Internships at peer institutions in areas of technical standards, metrology and certification.


1. Acquisition of a software that enables the storage of existing standards and their agile handling. 2. Acquisition of laptops and/or computers, printers, fax and scanner for use by the technical staff responsible of the technical committees of standardization, technical coordination and efficient management of certification.

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3. Acquisition of national measurement standards. 4. Acquisition of the metrological equipment and materials needed to supply and adapt laboratories, and for speeding and ensuring efficiency in the measurements.

5. Acquisition of vehicles that facilitate the mobilization of technicians to meet the various requests of the interested parties.

Dissemination and Promotion 1. Development and dissemination of programs of national certification and accreditation.

Subject Area / Intervention: QUALITY SYSTEMS


a. Project Title: Campaign to promote a quality culture in the country.


c. Contact: Executive Coordinator of Special Projects and Agreements.

d. Executing Unit: General Directorate of Norms and Quality Systems and National Competitiveness

Council


2.1 Objective: To establish a quality culture among enterprises, industries, government, academies and consumers. Achieve a focus towards the compliance of the national and international quality requirements. 2.2 Purpose: To promote a quality culture in order to facilitate the national and international trade. Also, to

guarantee a better quality of life to the Dominican citizens. 3. Activities by component:

Technical Assistance 1. Development of a strategy to promote a quality culture in the country. Training

1. Courses, workshops and national forums program on quality.

2. Development of a training program for SMEs to encourage the adoption of quality measures.


1. Develop and disseminate a quality national awareness program.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - USTR · DOMINICAN REPUBLIC August, 2010 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic...

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